It is vital to protect endangered species
Sep 21, 2008
EDITOR - As an environmentalist and forester in particular, I have been very keen on the article “NEMA grilled over Mpanga river project†published on September 10. Cycad trees are rare and designated as critically endangered by IUCN.
EDITOR - As an environmentalist and forester in particular, I have been very keen on the article “NEMA grilled over Mpanga river project†published on September 10. Cycad trees are rare and designated as critically endangered by IUCN.
This particular Cycad tree species is endemic to Uganda and is not known anywhere else on earth apart from Mpanga gorge in the proposed hydro-power dam project site.
Uganda being a signatory to the Convention of international Trade in endangered species (CITES) is obliged to jealously conserve the Cycad trees which are getting extinct.
During the preparation for CHOGM, the Clerk to parliament, Aenas Tandekwire consulted me to identify for him a rare tree to be planted in the parliament garden when Queen Elizabeth II was going to visit parliament.
Since this was to mark a memorial occasion, I suggested to him that this Cycad tree would be the best planting material. On that day, November 22, 2007, before presenting the Cycad tree seedling for planting, President Museveni briefed the Queen that in Uganda we are very concerned that we conserve the endangered species such as the Cycad tree she was going to plant. Indeed the Queen planted the tree and it is growing well in a caged environment in the parliament garden.
Erisa Dickson Olet
Former commissioner for forestry
This particular Cycad tree species is endemic to Uganda and is not known anywhere else on earth apart from Mpanga gorge in the proposed hydro-power dam project site.
Uganda being a signatory to the Convention of international Trade in endangered species (CITES) is obliged to jealously conserve the Cycad trees which are getting extinct.
During the preparation for CHOGM, the Clerk to parliament, Aenas Tandekwire consulted me to identify for him a rare tree to be planted in the parliament garden when Queen Elizabeth II was going to visit parliament.
Since this was to mark a memorial occasion, I suggested to him that this Cycad tree would be the best planting material. On that day, November 22, 2007, before presenting the Cycad tree seedling for planting, President Museveni briefed the Queen that in Uganda we are very concerned that we conserve the endangered species such as the Cycad tree she was going to plant. Indeed the Queen planted the tree and it is growing well in a caged environment in the parliament garden.
Erisa Dickson Olet
Former commissioner for forestry