Lack of good information leading to poor forest management- govt official
The U-Green team official launching the tree planting initiative with the pupils of Kyankowe Primary School. Courtesy photo
What you need to know:
- The cost of conservation and climate change has been felt by forest dwelling communities.
- The commissioner also launched Umeme’s Safety Club at the school in commemoration of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work.
Officials have attributed the poor management of Uganda’s forests to lack of information.
According to Mr Edward Ssebukyu, the commissioner for private schools and institutions in the ministry of education, management of the forests should be supported by the best possible information.
The ministry of environment early this year said Uganda’s forest cover has been depleted to 8% up from 24% in 1990s, attributing it to human encroachment for different activities like agriculture and tree cutting for timber and charcoal.
This, Mr Ssebukyu argues that, is because community members lack good information on the importance of the forest cover.
He was on Friday officiating at the power distributor, Umeme’s tree planting exercise at Kyankowe Primary School in Mityana District.
“Management of our forests should be supported by the best possible information. What Umeme is doing today is a significant contribution to the knowledge required for informed environmental management decisions. It is therefore my privilege to be part of this initiative, which is supplementing Government’s efforts in environmental conservation,” Mr Ssebukyu said.
Umeme Head of Communications and Marketing, Sandorlyle Walusimbi speaking at the tree planting initiative launch.
The fruit and eucalyptus tree project at the Mityana-based school was conducted in conjunction with the Uganda Timber Growers Association.
The school offered up to 5.5 acres of land for the project to promote pupils’ interest and involvement in conserving their environment.
The commissioner also launched Umeme’s Safety Club at the school in commemoration of the World Day for Safety and Health at Work.
The safety club is Umeme’s proactive measure to ensure that the school embraces environmental conservation and treats electricity safety with top priority.
Mr Selestino Babungi, the Umeme managing director, explained that the U-Green initiative was the company’s long-term CSR drive, launched in 2016 to implement tree planting activities as an avenue for mitigating the impact of climate change on the environment.
The initiative is also intended to inspire community action on environmental conservation.
“Umeme believes that supporting the school to achieve this objective will cultivate a culture of environmental conservation and in the long run, inspire children, teachers and parents to effect positive change in their communities,” said Mr. Babungi.
The cost of conservation and climate change has been felt by forest dwelling communities.
