Forest encroachers vacate voluntarily

Over 800 people who had settled on Kasongoire Central Forest Reserve have voluntarily vacated it after being explained to the dangers of their activities to the forest reserve.

The reserve is located in Budongo and Kyabigambire sub-counties in the districts of Hoima and Masindi.

Stuart Maniraguha, the range manager in charge of the management of forestry reserves in Bunyoro, said the entire forest reserve is surrounded by over 10 villages, which include; Kiryabutuzi, Katuugo, Kasongoire, Bugandale, Kiryamyongo, Terera Kisagura, Kimanya and Kyabijwenge.

Maniraguha said encroachers who had planted food in the reserve were given a period of eight months to harvest their food and leave.

The reserve, which measures 3,069 hectares, was gazetted in 1930s. He said 275 households had occupied 400 of the reserve and, cut down trees indiscriminately and established gardens and settlements.

He added the reserve is a catchment area for the area and averts erosion.

Maniraguha explained that to solve the problem, they engaged the authorities of Masindi and Hoima, who resolved to open the 43 kilometre boundary which was done successfully to help define the reserve boundaries.

He said they have started a restoration programme which includes tree planting of the degraded area and about half of the 400 hectares which were recovered has been planted with trees.

John Bosco Muruli, the forest supervisor of Bujawe beat, said the reserve had been encroached on by mostly tobacco farmers.

He said they also engaged the tobacco companies to stop their contracted farmers against growing tobacco in the reserve.

Sunday Elisa, a resident of Katuugo village in a phone interview, said he vacated the area after he was told that a forest reserve is for tree planting and not for settlement.

Noah Kererali, the chairperson LC1 Katuugo in Kyabigambire sub-county, said some encroachers were misled by the politicians who would tell them not to vacate it.