Pine trees vital, says VP Bukenya
PEOPLE with small pieces of land in rural areas should engage in tree planting that will bring them both income and firewood, the vice president, Gilbert Bukenya, has said.
By Vision Reporter
PEOPLE with small pieces of land in rural areas should engage in tree planting that will bring them both income and firewood, the vice president, Gilbert Bukenya, has said.
According to a statement issued by the VP’s Press Unit yesterday, Bukenya, who was speaking at his tree-garden in Kakiri, said the misconception that tree planting is a reserve for the rich who own bigger chunks of land must be discarded.
“Poor people with under a quarter an acre can plant 100 pine trees whose branches make excellent firewood at only two years while the owner waits for income on full maturity of the tree after 10 years,†the statement quoted Bukenya as saying.
“A pine tree in a nursery that costs sh500 each has better market at maturity compared to eucalyptus since its wood is light. It is preferred for roofing and is not easily hit by pests.â€
The vice-president said pine trees at full maturity grow up to 25 metres and can produce roofing timber that costs between Sh80,000-100,000 per metre.
Bukenya added that pine trees can be intercropped with cassava and potatoes, which is a better method of conserving land rather than leaving it under bush for a long time.
He cited Prince Albrecht Oettingen Spielberg of Bavaria in Germany who visited him three weeks ago. Bukenya said the prince has a family pine forest that has, over the decades, been one of the family sources of income whose returns range between 65-70 Euros per metre of the mature tree.
Bukenya was optimistic that once pine tree growing takes root in the country, many of the endangered tree species would be spared from indiscriminate cutting for purposes of wood fuel and also help stem the rising phenomenon of global warming that is a worldwide concern.
PEOPLE with small pieces of land in rural areas should engage in tree planting that will bring them both income and firewood, the vice president, Gilbert Bukenya, has said.
According to a statement issued by the VP’s Press Unit yesterday, Bukenya, who was speaking at his tree-garden in Kakiri, said the misconception that tree planting is a reserve for the rich who own bigger chunks of land must be discarded.
“Poor people with under a quarter an acre can plant 100 pine trees whose branches make excellent firewood at only two years while the owner waits for income on full maturity of the tree after 10 years,†the statement quoted Bukenya as saying.
“A pine tree in a nursery that costs sh500 each has better market at maturity compared to eucalyptus since its wood is light. It is preferred for roofing and is not easily hit by pests.â€
The vice-president said pine trees at full maturity grow up to 25 metres and can produce roofing timber that costs between Sh80,000-100,000 per metre.
Bukenya added that pine trees can be intercropped with cassava and potatoes, which is a better method of conserving land rather than leaving it under bush for a long time.
He cited Prince Albrecht Oettingen Spielberg of Bavaria in Germany who visited him three weeks ago. Bukenya said the prince has a family pine forest that has, over the decades, been one of the family sources of income whose returns range between 65-70 Euros per metre of the mature tree.
Bukenya was optimistic that once pine tree growing takes root in the country, many of the endangered tree species would be spared from indiscriminate cutting for purposes of wood fuel and also help stem the rising phenomenon of global warming that is a worldwide concern.