By Weswa Ronnie
MBALE
Share Opportunity Uganda, a Nongovernmental Organisation in partnership with local governments have established tree nursery beds in three districts at Bugisu region to curb down climatic changes.
The tree nursery beds have been established at Buwabwa Sub County and Bupoto Sub County in Namisindwa district, at Bungokho Sub County in Mbale district and Manafwa Town Council in Manafwa district.
Those nursery beds consist of tree species like mango, Muvule, avocado, calaydra, gravellier among others.
Benon Kyome, the National Director of Share opportunity Uganda said that the purpose of establishing the tree nursery beds is to give people free tree seedlings for planting at their homes, public places like alongside roads, health centres, schools among others.
‘’We discovered that Bugisu region is one of the regions in the country with high cases of climatic changes like landslides and floods which convinced us to bring this project in the region,’’ Mr Kyome said.
‘’Each nursery bed produces over 7000 tree seedlings which are given to farmers freely to plant at their respective areas,’’ Kyoome said.
Stella Watsemba the acting environmental officer at Namisindwa district expressed her happiness with the partnership of Share opportunity Uganda with the aim of fighting climatic changes in the region.
Mrs. Watsemba said ‘’ the forest coverage in Namisindwa district has reduced to 13% because of deforestation every day due to high demand of fire wood, charcoal, timber, place for settlement among others’’.
She added that they have hope that due to the establishment of these nursery beds in five years coming, the forest cover may increase to 20%.
I appeal to all people in the district to go and get tree seedlings of their own choice at any of the two nursery beds established in the district such that they can plant at their homes to prevent the current climatic changes ,‘’ Madam Watsemba said.
Joseph Gidudu working with Share opportunity Uganda in Mbale district says that this project has been funded with about 100 million shillings by donors.
He added that they expect to extend the program to other districts in the Bugisu region next year if donors increase the funding.
Mr. Gidudu said ‘’ we want people to grow these trees and increase their household incomes by selling those trees in terms of timber and fruits among others’’.
Nathan Masaaba a nursery operator at Buwambwa Share opportunity Uganda tree nursery bed says people in the district have not responded well in terms of taking seedlings due to lack of sensitization about the value of planting trees.
Mr. Masaaba said’’ I appeal to all local leaders to sensitize the public about the values of planting trees at their homes such that people can embrace this project’’.
Mr. Masaaba said’’ I appeal to all local leaders to sensitize the public about the values of planting trees at their homes such that people can embrace this project’’.
Change in Forest Cover: Between 1990 and 2010, Uganda lost an average of 88,150 ha or 1.86% per year.
In total, between 1990 and 2010, Uganda lost 37.1% of its forest cover or around 1,763,000.
Uganda’s forests contain 109 million metric tons of carbon in living forest biomass.
Biodiversity and Protected Areas: Uganda has some 1592 known species of amphibians, birds, mammals and reptiles according to figures from the World Conservation Monitoring Centre. Of these, 1.1% are endemic, meaning they exist in no other country, and 3.1% are threatened. Uganda is home to at least 4900 species of vascular plants. 7.3% of Uganda is protected under IUCN categories I-V.
