Kagadi residents have encroached on over 13,000 hectares of Kagombe forest reserve.

According to David Duli, the country director of the World Wide Fund for nature (WWF) Uganda, 13,500 hectares constitute 70% of the degraded area out of 17,581 hectares that form the Kagombe forest reserve.

The Kagadi community have cut trees for firewood, sell logs and planted crops such as maize, beans, cassava, and sugarcane.

Duli implored the Kagadi community to stop the practice, join hands with WWF Uganda, and restore the degraded forest by planting indigenous trees.

He encouraged the locals to start income-generating activities and become advocates of change to restore the degraded area.

Duli also appealed to the district local leaders to work together with the community and ensure that the boundaries between the community land and Kagombe forest reserve are demarcated.

He made remarks during the field tour on July 14 while meeting with the community at Nyamarunda village in Kagadi district.

The WWF Uganda country director said his organization in conjunction with the National Forestry Authority are committed to restoring 6,000 hectares of degraded areas of Bugoma and Kagombe forest reserves.

Erasmas Ndinaharunga, the LC3 chairman of Nyamurunda sub-county said the locals started encroaching on the Kagombe forest reserve in 2000.

He explained that the locals earn money from cutting trees as they sell the logs to educate their children and fend for their families.

David Rwebembera, the chairperson of Kibale greater environment conservation group, said the communities have been sensitized to start income-generating activities such as poultry, bee keeping, piggery and goat rearing among others.

Katushabe Kisembo, a resident of Nyamurunda village said the community rely on the forest for firewood and appealed to the district authorities to find alternative sources of energy.

Harriet Nakanwanyi, also a resident of the same village pointed out that the community is determined to abandon destroying the forest and start planting trees to restore the degraded area.