Govt should save Kalangala forest reserves
Mar 17, 2009
<b>Lilian Linda</b><br><br>Despite the massive advocacy by environmentalists about the importance of Kalangala forest reserve, the Government has continued its projects there.
Lilian Linda
Despite the massive advocacy by environmentalists about the importance of Kalangala forest reserve, the Government has continued its projects there.
If Ugandans do not stand up to the Kalangala BIDCO illusion as they did for the case of Mabira Forest, then we will lose the forest.
The palm oil tree project is a good investment as echoed in President Yoweri Museveni’s remarks earlier this year. He said the palm oil project would save East Africa from importing oil as well as create employment for Ugandans.
The palm oil tree project is a source for biodiesel fuel and has the advantage of producing other products like soap and other oil products. However, the statement made by the President that some people wanted to block the BIDCO project because they wanted to protect butterflies instead of development is ironic, particularly when he said butterflies can go and live elsewhere. True, butterflies can fly anywhere, but are ecologically specific to the kind of environment that is conducive to them. The same applies to natural rain forests around water bodies, because they absorb the carbon from the air, reducing pollution.
The Columbian experience of 2005 was worse than Uganda’s. As part of the Columbia’s initiative to have an alternative to source of energy, the government chose to enforce the growth of palm oil trees and forced the locals to vacate their land in favour of development.
According to the Columbian press, some farmers who refused to sell or surrender their land were murdered.
In Uganda, the Kalangala population is small, but what impact does destroying Kalangala forest reserves have on the waters in Lake Victoria and the River Nile? According to the Rainforest Alliance “rainforests are dark and wet, and absorb a large amount of heat from the sun. Moisture evaporates from the foliage, forming clouds, which bring rainfall.â€
If these forests such as the Kalangala-Ssese forests, are cut down, Ugandans, like the hen that pecks its eggs, will have a lot more to lose than gain.
The writer is an environment activist
Despite the massive advocacy by environmentalists about the importance of Kalangala forest reserve, the Government has continued its projects there.
If Ugandans do not stand up to the Kalangala BIDCO illusion as they did for the case of Mabira Forest, then we will lose the forest.
The palm oil tree project is a good investment as echoed in President Yoweri Museveni’s remarks earlier this year. He said the palm oil project would save East Africa from importing oil as well as create employment for Ugandans.
The palm oil tree project is a source for biodiesel fuel and has the advantage of producing other products like soap and other oil products. However, the statement made by the President that some people wanted to block the BIDCO project because they wanted to protect butterflies instead of development is ironic, particularly when he said butterflies can go and live elsewhere. True, butterflies can fly anywhere, but are ecologically specific to the kind of environment that is conducive to them. The same applies to natural rain forests around water bodies, because they absorb the carbon from the air, reducing pollution.
The Columbian experience of 2005 was worse than Uganda’s. As part of the Columbia’s initiative to have an alternative to source of energy, the government chose to enforce the growth of palm oil trees and forced the locals to vacate their land in favour of development.
According to the Columbian press, some farmers who refused to sell or surrender their land were murdered.
In Uganda, the Kalangala population is small, but what impact does destroying Kalangala forest reserves have on the waters in Lake Victoria and the River Nile? According to the Rainforest Alliance “rainforests are dark and wet, and absorb a large amount of heat from the sun. Moisture evaporates from the foliage, forming clouds, which bring rainfall.â€
If these forests such as the Kalangala-Ssese forests, are cut down, Ugandans, like the hen that pecks its eggs, will have a lot more to lose than gain.
The writer is an environment activist