NFA to consult stakeholders neighboring Budongo Forest on how to increase income
The project commenced on the 9th of this month.Budongo Forest Reserve covers 8,425 hectares and neighbors the three districts of Masindi, Buliisa, and Hoima.
By Our Reporter
Masindi: The National Forestry Authority (NFA), with funding from the Swedish Government and Irish Aid through the World Bank, is implementing a three-week project dubbed Conserving Uganda’s Protected Areas.
The project commenced on the 9th of this month.
While addressing the press this morning at the NFA offices in Masindi, Leo Twinomuhangi, the coordinator for policy and planning with the NFA, said they will consult the stakeholders from the 11 subcounties in Masindi, Buliisa, and Hoima districts neighboring Budongo Forest.
Twinomuhangi, the leader of the technical planning committee, said the consultation will begin at the parish level, move to the sub-county, and finally to the district within the Budongo management plan noting that the technical team will capture the issues, especially the resources that will help the people, so that they see their contribution to increasing income for people around the forest without destroying the environment.
He noted that after consulting the technical team, the ministry will write the final plan and come back to the district level for validation.
Twinomuhangi further noted that Budongo and Bugoma forests are the biggest catchments that protect the environment and water bodies like Lake Albert, Murchison Falls, wetlands, swamps, soil, and foreign exchange through tourism.
Boaz Besigirenda, the range manager in charge of the Budongo Forest Range System, said this is the right time to integrate all the views of stakeholders surrounding the Budongo Forest Reserve to determine the future of the forest.
Budongo Forest Reserve covers 8,425 hectares and neighbors the three districts of Masindi, Buliisa, and Hoima.
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