Prime
Tree cutting leaves West Nile bare
Imvepi Settlement Samp in Terego District that is now having a depleted environment. PHOTO/FELIX WAROM OKELLO
What you need to know:
- Local leaders have had some loggers arrested, but well-connected security officers bail them out.
The continuous logging of trees and charcoal burning in the West Nile Sub-region is threatening conservation efforts and leaving many areas bare.
A journey from Arua to Moyo town via Metu Sub-county paints a grim picture of how trees are falling because of money and the region is slowly turning into a desert.
The stretch consists of mainly natural trees with various species, including the much cherished Afzelia Africana and Mahogany.
The situation is scary. More than 15 years ago, the stretch from Moyo to Adjumani was thickly forested, but the trees are now facing the wrath from the ruthless loggers who, unfortunately, connive with some of the district leaders.
Ms Salima Bako, a resident of Yumbe Town, says without forests, they cannot breathe fresh air.
“This explains why Yumbe is always very hot because the natural trees have been cut by people for money. The government should not play double standards in conserving the forests. We need their protection from grassroots to urban areas so that we can have enough rainfall,” he said.
According to the Global Forest Watch statistics, in 2010, Yumbe had 63.8kha of tree cover, extending over 28 percent of its land area. In 2021, it lost about 40.2ha of tree cover.
The efforts of Friends of Zoka, an umbrella organisation fighting for environmental conservation in West Nile, remain fruitless with continued logging, according to their officials.
As the world marked the Forest Day on Tuesday, the Team Leader of Friends of Zoka, Mr William Amanzuru, said: “Forests are our identities as humans, they give us so much to our health. They purify the water, clean the air and capture carbon to fight climate change.’’
What next?
He added: “They provide food and life-saving medicines and improve our well-being. It is our duty to plant, grow, protect and conserve forests. Once you plant a tree, make sure you take care of it until it grows. Don’t allow it to die. We need to reclaim our forests so that we live in a better environment.”
Mr Amanzuru also noted that there is need to intensify campaigns for adaptation to use of improved cooking stoves, Woodlot and Agro forestry and tree seedling nurseries and strengthening the enforcement without bias.
Environmental Shield, a non-governmental organisation, also indicates that forests help in rain making and not only regulating climate but also buffering communities from adverse consequences of climate like floods, landslides.
Article 39 of the Uganda Constitution and the National Environment Act, 2019 guarantees the right to a clean and healthy environment and mandates us with the responsibility of protecting the environment.
“We join Ugandans, government and the international community in celebrating the beauty and importance of forests, condemning deforestation and deforesters. We reiterate our devotion to speaking up for the people and nature,” a statement from Environmental Shield indicates.
Failed enforcement
Recently, in an effort to save depletion of the forests, the chairperson of Moyo District, Mr Williams Anyama, said they arrested two loggers who were forcibly released by the security forces at Padiga roadblock.
“They stopped us at gun point and wanted to arrest us but we resisted. Imagine security personnel supporting lawbreakers, now you can figure under whose command they are working,” Mr Anyama said.
According to Environmental Alert (EA) reports (2014) Timber Movement trade from South Sudan, Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) had a destination market in Uganda.
According to FAO, Uganda’s forestry cover shrunk from 45 percent in 1890 to the present 20 percent between 1990 and 2005, natural forest estate outside protected areas reduced by 35 percent.
Most affected
Adjumani District has lost much of the Afzelia Africana species in Zoka Forest Reserve. In Yumbe, particularly Kei Sub-county, there is continued illegal lumbering. Three people were arrested out of which one was being guarded by an armed man from South Sudan.
On April 28, 2020, a truck loaded with the species was impounded at Mt Kei in Yumbe. In May 2020, another truck was impounded in Arua from Kei in Yumbe. The truck was released late in the night after negotiations by the owners.
