CONSERVATION  

If Bugoma were no more . . .

A chunk of Bugoma forest is being cleared for sugarcane growing. There is no doubt this will bring jobs and social services to the people. But the encroachment could start and, soon, the whole forest will be gone. Dire climate change consequences will follow.

Imagine it is 2030. There are no forests. Past deeds cannot be reversed. Feel the searing heat as the bare ground stares at the sky.

The rivers and streams that used to wash the village paths have dried up. The milk and honey are long gone and starvation is taking a toll on the human population. These are some of the hostilities confronting Hoima city and the surrounding communities as a result of the destruction of the environment, including Bugoma forest. 

The people of Hoima have discovered that Bugoma has refused to go alone. The destruction of the 41,000 hectare forest has been accompanied by the disappearance of Lake Albert. 

The lake which was the pride of Bunyoro Kingdom and a limitless source of fish as well as water has been reduced to a filthy pond. Water is so scarce that for less than half a litre of bottled mineral water, the residents of Hoima have to part with $100 (sh370,000). 

It is only the rich who can buy imported water. Without deep pockets, most of the population has to trek long distances for water. They also breathe polluted air and the disease burden is galloping. 

The people are cursing their ancestors for failing to protect Bugoma. They are told that a wonderful creation of nature used to stand in the midst of Bunyoro Kingdom. But when hell broke loose, the governors of the land handed over Bugoma to profiteers. 

This is a doomsday story, but it could easily unfold in Bunyoro and the rest of Uganda with the ongoing destruction of forest reserves, wetland and lakes. 

PROVERBIAL CAMEL IN BUNYORO 

An Arabian proverb goes that when a camel owner allows it to stick its nose into his bedroom, then other parts of its body follow until the animal is entirely inside and refuses to leave. 

This means that something small and seemingly harmless can lead to something much bigger and more dangerous, unless stopped in its tracks. The sugar barons have gone to Bunyoro promising employment, schools, health facilities and amenities that the locals only dreamt about. 

There is no doubt these will be provided. The leaders of Bunyoro Kingdom rolled out the red carpet for the investor at the expense of the environment. They failed to read the writing on the wall with widespread poverty in Busoga where four sugar companies are making money at the cost of the environment and local welfare. 

FORESTS NO MORE BY 2030 

The beautiful forest cover and the rivers as well as the lakes in the catchment and wildlife is the reason former British prime minister, Winston Churchill described Uganda as the “Pearl of Africa.” 

However, Uganda’s beauty is fading as deforestation keeps biting the country’s treasures — the forests and wildlife. Uganda’s forest cover was 24% of the landscape in 1990. By 2015 it had declined to less than 8%, according to a report by the Forestry Sector Support Department on the State of Uganda’s forests. 

The loss of 16% of forest cover in 25 years means Uganda lost 8% of its forest cover in 12 and a half years, meaning Uganda could lose the remaining 8% forest cover between 2015 and 2028. 

WATER TO DISAPPEAR

The catchphrase, “every drop of water counts” is about to turn into a reality in the western arm of the rift valley where oil has been discovered. 

This is also part of the catchment of Bugoma. While water was regarded as an abundant resource, will turn into a priceless commodity. 

Simon Nampindo, the Country Director, Wildlife Conservation Society, a US-based NGO describes oil production as a “thirsty industry” that requires a lot of water from Lake Albert pointing out that cutting down Bugoma, which is the source of water is not a wise move. 

“Interestingly the catchment of Bugoma is under attack from sugarcane growing,” says Nampindo. He has been conducting research and influencing conservation and development policy for the past two decades. 

In addition, hydroelectric power plants have been set up on rivers such as Wambabya in the Albertine region, according to Nampindo. 

Dr. Gerald Eilu, an associate professor at Makerere University, says Bugoma’s disappearance is likely to undermine the quality and quantity of water flowing down to Lake Albert. 

Eilu is a plant ecology and biodiversity conservation specialist.

POLLUTION

The discovery of oil in the Albertine rift will bring many benefits, but challenges too. One of these challenges is dirty emissions and Bugoma is perfectly located to absorb the waste gases from the oil fields and the oil operations, according to Nampindo. 

He also points out that the establishment of sugarcane plantations is likely to deplete the fertility of the land under forest in a short time. 

This means that fertilisers and pesticides will have to be applied leading to pollution of sources of drinking water and fish.  

TREASURES IN THE WILD  

Our closest relatives, the chimpanzees or chimps call Bugoma home. An estimated 600 chimps roam the forest. However, the chimps are living under threat as a result of the destruction of the migratory corridor connecting Bugoma and Budongo. 

The chimps are also endangered; they face extinction if encroachment on their habitat continues. Bugoma is also home to the Uganda Mangabey, which is an endemic species. This monkey is found in few other places globally. 

The other habitat where it is found is Mabira Forest in central Uganda. Bugoma is also home to a rare bird species, the Nahan’s Frankolin, which are similar in size tochicken and nest in the buttresses of large trees. 

The African grey parrots, which are also threatened by extinction are residents of Bugoma, also a migratory corridor for big mammals like elephants.  

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'BUGOMA WILL BECOME DESOLATE'  

Bugoma forest reserve sitting in Hoima and Kikuube is on its deathbed. Hoima Sugar Limited has got a greenlight from the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) to demolish it. This has left many people wondering about their future and that of their children. Gerald Tenywa talked to Oketcho Chombo, a lecturer at Gulu University and a PhD student of climate change at Makerere University, about Bugoma and the changing environment:

Q: Is it realistic that forests and water can disappear? 

A: Absolutely, water and forests are interconnected. We know that forests are rain makers, they preserve water and filter it before it goes to the water bodies. Without forests, there will be a lot of silt driven into the water bodies. This will reduce the depth of the water bodies. 

Also, the runoff and silting makes the water dirty (turbidity). This will affect microorganisms in the water because they will not get enough light and food. It is possible to lose forests and water bodies in the coming 10 years. 

In Uganda, Lake Wamala had shrunk and now looks like a pond. Another example in Uganda is Lake Wamala which had shrunk tremendously. However, restoration efforts are helping it to recover its lost ground. 

We need to be careful with Bugoma forest reserve. We are risking too much by changing the land use to a sugarcane plantation. Bugoma is also a carbon sink from oil. Sugarcane will not absorb these emissions. Unfortunately, it looks like the people pushing for a sugar company are powerful and do not listen. They are pushing the country into disaster. 

Focusing on Bugoma, how will the area look like without the forest? 

The place will look desolate. I am lucky that I saw the place. They say it is grassland, but it is not. It is a forest that used to be woodland. It has trees, including combretums, which are as old as 70 years. 

So, if you cut them down the place will look desolate. Also, if you plant sugarcane, the place will get eroded because the area experiences tropical rainfall. As a result, the place will become barren and fertilisers will be needed for the sugarcane to grow. This will increase pollution of the water bodies. 

Strong winds will also affect the area and the moderate temperatures will become hostile. 

There is a lot of excitement about climate change. Is it real? If the environment is resilient and can cope on its own, then why should Uganda be hellbent on saving it? 

Climate change is real. The rain has become intense and, when drought hits, it will also be intense. 

About 30 years ago, the rainy seasons were definite. The environment is resilient when left on its own. However, the human population, which is increasing fast, is interfering with the natural balance. 

The population is growing and expansive agriculture is eating into the areas that should remain reserved. The growing of rice has taken over wetlands and sugarcane growing is knocking down trees. We need to do something fast in terms of planning and action, so that we are not taken by surprise when impacts of climate change hit home. 

In Uganda, we are whipping people to save the environment when other countries are cutting their forests, will Uganda’s efforts count? 

Uganda’s effort will count, though not fully. Climate change is a global issue that affects the world and countries need to take action to address it. This is why the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Paris Agreement on Climate Change have been put in place. 

You cannot say if some people are cutting trees we should also do it. If we plant trees we provide a moral lesson for others to follow. 

But sugar barons are promising jobs and economic growth and do not see conservation as a solution to Uganda’s unemployment... 

When investors talk about sugarcane growing they quickly talk about employment. However, sugarcane firms are not the best managers of their human resource. How much does a sugarcane cutter earn? Look at places where sugarcane is growing, people want to harvest the sugarcane and do not have harvesting permits. 

As a result the prices collapse. Places like Busoga, which have become colonies of sugarcane, is also where early pregnancies, early marriages, marriage breakdown and poverty have become problems. There are alternatives which a forest like Bugoma offer. 

For instance, eco-tourism, which, if well developed can provide employment in many areas, like tour guides, hoteliers, people making handicrafts. This creates decent incomes that do not disrupt nature.

What do you provide as the way forward to resolve the conflict over Bugoma? We would find another area for sugarcane growing. Is there land in Bunyoro or elsewhere for sugarcane growing? 

The land is available. Look at what has happened to sugar factory in Amuru in northern Uganda. They have land after an agreement with the land owners. We also need to plant indigenous trees if we are worried about the spaces in Bugoma forest reserve.