Bugema University goes green
Sep 26, 2018
Uganda needs to restore the lost 3,000,000 hectares of forest cover in the last 25 years.
NFA director for planning and policy, Paul Musamali waters a tree he planted at Bugema University forest in Luwero.
Bugema University has a launched a Green consumer week with activities geared towards conserving the environment.
The week-long activities are held under the theme: Green Consumerism; Promoting environmental health and local economic development.
The Vice Chancellor Prof Patrick Manu, National Forestry Authority (NFA) director for planning and policy, Paul Musamali led the staff and students in planting trees on the university's 30 acres of forest.
Bugema University is a private, co-educational Ugandan university affiliated with the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
Joshua Busurwa a lecturer in sustainable development and coordinator of the green consumer initiatives, said this year's green week activities was in response to government's efforts to plant over 10 million trees countrywide in order to recover the country's declining forest cover.
Uganda needs to restore the lost 3,000,000 hectares of forest cover in the last 25 years. Uganda's forest cover across the country tremendously declined from 24% (4,933,271 hectares) of land area in 1990 to less than the current 9% (1,956,664 hectare) in 136,000 hectares annually.
According to Musamali, Latest statistics indicate that forestry contributes 6% of Uganda's Gross Domestic Products at an estimated sh1000b through provision of both products and services that are important in the fight against poverty.
"To reverse this loss by 2040, we need to restore at least 136,000 hectares annually," Musamali noted.
In Uganda, Musamali noted that the forestry sub sector contributes to the achievement of all the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by reducing hunger, poverty, improve quality of education, good health among others.
He asked government to build and strengthen capacity of communities, government agencies and private sector to tackle and include high population growth, lack of latrnative fuel sources, wildlife trafficking, oil and gas exploration impacts and climate change.
Musamali, staff and students pose for a group photo after a public lecture.
Government has prioritized forest restoration as envisaged in existing targets in Vision 2040. Over 10 million seedlings have been provided for private planting. Interested Individuals and organization can apply to the nearest NFA regional center.
Environment activists have proposed strategies to address deforestation and forest degradation which include; climate smart agriculture, sustainable fuel wood and charcoal use, large-scale commercial timber plantations, rehabilitation of natural forests in the landscape, energy efficient cooking, integrated wildfire management and livestock rearing in cattle corridor.