NEMA Stops Masaka Forest Reserve Allocation
Apr 14, 2004
THE National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has stopped the allocation of about 500 hectares of forest reserve land to Masaka district officials to plant trees under permits, following protests from residents and environmentalists.
By Gerald Tenywa
THE National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has stopped the allocation of about 500 hectares of forest reserve land to Masaka district officials to plant trees under permits, following protests from residents and environmentalists.
“We think the LC5 chairperson, Vincent Ssempijja, has grabbed land. I directed that they should stop clearing the forest and cancel his permit,’’ said NEMA executive director Dr. Aryamanya Mugisha.
According to the district forestry department, the lands ministry issued permits to loggers and cultivators to clear Kitasi and Wabitembe forest reserves on the Lake Victoria shores.
Forestry officials confirmed that Ssempijja was among political leaders allocated land in the reserves.
Wabitembe is one of the few remaining sanctuaries of endangered plant species ebitembe, a type of wild banana.
Mugisha described as illegal the policy of replacing a natural forest with a plantation, saying it destroyed biological wealth and created monoculture.
He said the permits should be given for planting trees in grasslands and not in virgin forests.
Mugisha said an environment impact assessment should have been done before sanctioning the large-scale clearing of trees.
The National Forestry Authority (NFA) spokesperson, Gaster Kiyingi, said any attempt to grab land in a reserve was futile.
He defended Ssempijja, saying he benefited from the policy which granted permission to individuals able to plant trees in degraded forests.
However, the permit holders in Masaka reportedly exploit cheap local labour to clear the forests to plant crops and tree species.
Kiyingi said the inter-cropping would give way to plantations because the trees would outgrow the crops and phase out the cultivators.
When The New Vision visited Kitasi and Wabitembe last week, loggers and cultivators were busy clearing large chunks of forests including those with streams and rivers.
The tree seedlings planted together with the crops were barely off the ground.
The loggers and cultivators have not spared even the precious tree species such as Prunus Africana (entasesa), which is believed to treat prostate cancer.
The species is part of a strong pharmaceutical industry in the West.
The forest department has been replaced by the NFA due to be launched by President Yoweri Museveni this month.
MP Ken Lukyamuzi (Rubaga South), a renowned environmentalist, said the policy should be revisited to empower the local communities to benefit economically from forest-based enterprises.
Ponsiano Ssenyonga, a local political activist who has been at the forefront in fight against destruction of forests, recently petitioned Lukyamuzi to intervene.
Last year, Mukono North MP Bakaluba Mukasa petitioned Parliament over the issue, warning of imminent marginalisation of local communities in the allocation of forest reserves.
Sub-Saharan Africa and Asian countries reforming the forestry sectors are adopting pro-poor people programmes and consider forests as sources of various products.
The World Conservation Union want local communities to be encouraged to manage the forests.
Kiyingi said most local communities were interested in growing crops than planting trees.
Godber Tumushabe, of the Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment policy advocacy NGO, said there was lack of proper forest procedures.
Ends
THE National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) has stopped the allocation of about 500 hectares of forest reserve land to Masaka district officials to plant trees under permits, following protests from residents and environmentalists.
“We think the LC5 chairperson, Vincent Ssempijja, has grabbed land. I directed that they should stop clearing the forest and cancel his permit,’’ said NEMA executive director Dr. Aryamanya Mugisha.
According to the district forestry department, the lands ministry issued permits to loggers and cultivators to clear Kitasi and Wabitembe forest reserves on the Lake Victoria shores.
Forestry officials confirmed that Ssempijja was among political leaders allocated land in the reserves.
Wabitembe is one of the few remaining sanctuaries of endangered plant species ebitembe, a type of wild banana.
Mugisha described as illegal the policy of replacing a natural forest with a plantation, saying it destroyed biological wealth and created monoculture.
He said the permits should be given for planting trees in grasslands and not in virgin forests.
Mugisha said an environment impact assessment should have been done before sanctioning the large-scale clearing of trees.
The National Forestry Authority (NFA) spokesperson, Gaster Kiyingi, said any attempt to grab land in a reserve was futile.
He defended Ssempijja, saying he benefited from the policy which granted permission to individuals able to plant trees in degraded forests.
However, the permit holders in Masaka reportedly exploit cheap local labour to clear the forests to plant crops and tree species.
Kiyingi said the inter-cropping would give way to plantations because the trees would outgrow the crops and phase out the cultivators.
When The New Vision visited Kitasi and Wabitembe last week, loggers and cultivators were busy clearing large chunks of forests including those with streams and rivers.
The tree seedlings planted together with the crops were barely off the ground.
The loggers and cultivators have not spared even the precious tree species such as Prunus Africana (entasesa), which is believed to treat prostate cancer.
The species is part of a strong pharmaceutical industry in the West.
The forest department has been replaced by the NFA due to be launched by President Yoweri Museveni this month.
MP Ken Lukyamuzi (Rubaga South), a renowned environmentalist, said the policy should be revisited to empower the local communities to benefit economically from forest-based enterprises.
Ponsiano Ssenyonga, a local political activist who has been at the forefront in fight against destruction of forests, recently petitioned Lukyamuzi to intervene.
Last year, Mukono North MP Bakaluba Mukasa petitioned Parliament over the issue, warning of imminent marginalisation of local communities in the allocation of forest reserves.
Sub-Saharan Africa and Asian countries reforming the forestry sectors are adopting pro-poor people programmes and consider forests as sources of various products.
The World Conservation Union want local communities to be encouraged to manage the forests.
Kiyingi said most local communities were interested in growing crops than planting trees.
Godber Tumushabe, of the Advocates Coalition for Development and Environment policy advocacy NGO, said there was lack of proper forest procedures.
Ends