A recent report by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) estimates that the forest cover in the district is being lost at an alarming rate of 92,000 hectares per annum.
Forest depletion in Kyenjojo and Kyegegwa district is reaching alarming levels raising concern among environmentalists and residents.
Several hectares of forest cover in the two districts have been cleared to pave way for human settlement, agriculture while in some areas the trees are cut down for timber and charcoal. This is common Ibambalo, Lwensambya, Buhingiro and Matiri Central Forest Reserves.
The districts have put in place interventions like ordinances, collaborative forest management but they are yet to yield results.
A recent report by the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA) estimates that the forest cover in the two districts is being lost at an alarming rate of 92,000 hectares per annum.
Luke Onzima, the Kyenjojo district forest officer blames the depletion on the influx of immigrants from other districts who end up settling in Central Forest Reserves and are getting titles. He says that the immigrants clear the area and engage in agriculture.
According to Onzima, an ordinance was passed two years ago to curb deforestation, but hasn\'t been successful.
//Cue in: “degradation of forests…
Cue out: “…looking for land.â€//
Wilson Kasigazi, a resident says destroying forests has made crops vulnerable to pests and diseases. He says that many of the pests attacking maize and other crops come from forests that are being cleared making farmers lose money as they have to buy pest control chemicals.
Kasigazi blames the National Forest Authority (NFA) and the district authorities for deliberately refusing to enforce the laws. He says that there could be connivance between encroachers and enforcement officers.
Kasigazi says that unknown people illegally ferry timber from Matiri forest reserve in broad daylight, but have never been arrested.
//Cue in: “pests attacking crops…
Cue out: “…they are known.â€//
Norman Businge, the NFA sector manager Matiri forest reserve, says that NFA supervisors have no means of transport to patrol forest reserves and a few who have, have no fuel. He also says that some people deliberately refuse to leave the forest because they lack alternative livelihoods. Musinge says that people should be taught about sustainable harvesting rather than just tell them not to cut trees.
He notes that in areas where forests have been depleted, NFA has started replanting indigenous trees and hopes the forests will regenerate within five years.
In 2012, NEMA released a report which showed that Uganda had more than five million hectares of forest cover in 1990. By 2005, only 3.5 million hectares (8.6 million acres) had remained.
The report warned that if deforestation continues at that rate, Uganda will have lost all its forested land by 2050.
