By Moses Kidandi
National Forestry Authority in partnership with Rotare club have announced a campaign to restore Eight Hectare's of Namatale central Forest Reserve in Mbale by planting seveteen thousand trees of both types both fruit and non fruit.
The latest biomass study by NFA indicates a loss of 3 million hectares of forest cover across the country.
According to NFA, Uganda needs to plant a total of 136 Hectare's of trees if the situation is to be reversed by 2040.
Paul Buyeyera the Director Policy Planning at NFA warns of massive deforestation which us resulting into an environmental crisis. Namatale central forest reserve is a Natural Forest totaling 663 Hectares and contiguous with Mt.Elgon National park which greatly forms part of the Mt Elgon Echo system.
Speaking after the signing of the memorandum between NFA and Rotary Uganda,Paul Buyers says Namatale forest reserve is a catchment of 9 small rivers from mount Elgon which join into River Namatale at the begging of the reserve which are s main source of water to the local people of Bufumbo subcounty in Mbale district,Buteza and Buyobo sub county in Sironko district.
The Namatale central Fores reserve protects several hills against soil erosion which hills form part of my Elgon ranges.
The rivers within the forest reserve flow to the low and flat land of Kumi and Pallisa Districts as it joins Mpologoma River and in the process supplies water to local people in the region.
30 million shillings is to be jointly spent on the exercise.