Ibanda loses 250-acre forest
Ibanda district officials and environmentalists were left bitter after a bush fire started by herdsmen devoured a 250-acre forest planted to protect water catchment areas on five hills, reports <b>Gerald Tenywa.</b>
Ibanda district officials and environmentalists were left bitter after a bush fire started by herdsmen devoured a 250-acre forest planted to protect water catchment areas on five hills, reports Gerald Tenywa.
Speaking on Saturday, Jeconious Musingwire, the district environment officer, said about 200,000 seedlings of hardwood species estimated at sh15m were also destroyed by the wild fire.
Dr. Aryamanya Mugisha, the executive director of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) described the incident as “unfortunate’’, saying the hills, now laid bare, would face massive erosion.
The trees on the hills intercept water during the rainy season and release it gradually to feed a gravity flow scheme that supplies water to Ibanda town.
Herdsmen usually set bushes on fire in the dry season to create fresh pastures for cattle. But this time, the fire spread to the plantation covering 250 acres in Rwengoma village, attracting angry reactions from the district officials including the resident district commissioner.
“The commitment to restore the bare hills is there but the seasonal bush fires are frustrating us,’’ Musingwire said.
He said burning contravenes the National Environment Act. He said the fire was the third incident in about three years. Other forest fires were reported in Mbarara and Bushenyi districts.
NEMA used over sh40m in the re-afforestation campaign.
Ends
Speaking on Saturday, Jeconious Musingwire, the district environment officer, said about 200,000 seedlings of hardwood species estimated at sh15m were also destroyed by the wild fire.
Dr. Aryamanya Mugisha, the executive director of the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) described the incident as “unfortunate’’, saying the hills, now laid bare, would face massive erosion.
The trees on the hills intercept water during the rainy season and release it gradually to feed a gravity flow scheme that supplies water to Ibanda town.
Herdsmen usually set bushes on fire in the dry season to create fresh pastures for cattle. But this time, the fire spread to the plantation covering 250 acres in Rwengoma village, attracting angry reactions from the district officials including the resident district commissioner.
“The commitment to restore the bare hills is there but the seasonal bush fires are frustrating us,’’ Musingwire said.
He said burning contravenes the National Environment Act. He said the fire was the third incident in about three years. Other forest fires were reported in Mbarara and Bushenyi districts.
NEMA used over sh40m in the re-afforestation campaign.
Ends