Protect Bugoma Forest Reserve from unsuitable and sustainable activities
This left the residents unhappy because the forest from which they used to get free herbs and gives them rain is being destroyed.
Op-Ed: On June 5, 2024, there will be a World Environment Day, which will be celebrated under the theme of Restoration. It highlights a rallying call for the protection and revival of ecosystems all around the world. This day is also a reminder for countries to encourage awareness and action for the protection and restoration of all forests and other critical ecosystems.
Firstly, I want to thank the government of Uganda for the commendable work it is doing to ensure Uganda’s ecosystems are protected and conserved from unsustainable activities; however, more efforts are needed to save our forests, such as the Bugoma forest reserve in Hoima Kikuube district, that is being threatened by ongoing human activities, which include sugarcane, maize and Irish potato growing, charcoal burning, timber logging, and others.
Therefore as we celebrate the world environment day, we need to ensure that our forests and other critical ecosystems are restored most especially Bugoma forest which is still exposed to massive threats from human activities.
Bugoma central forest reserve is found in Kikuube district in Western Uganda and it is an important ecosystem that provides a range of ecological, social and economic benefits to the local communities and the wider environment.
However, it is noted that in August 2020, NEMA authorized Hoima Sugar Limited’s activities in Bugoma Forest Reserve despite protestations from the NFA, Uganda Wildlife Authority (UWA), Kikuube District Local Government (KDLG), civil society, and the general public.
The authority illegally and irregularly issued an Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA) of approval allowing HSL to set up a sugarcane plantation on 9.24 . square miles, develop an urban center on 1.206 square . miles, set up an ecotourism site on 1.97 square . miles, land for a cultural site covering 0.156 square . miles, leave a natural forested area, and set up nature trails on 6.17 square . miles.
This left the residents unhappy because the forest from which they used to get free herbs and gives them rain is being destroyed. They are worried that if the approved restoration plan is not shared, the forest will not be restored and the destruction will continue where the government will also not be able to stop other encroachers and the entire forest will be destroyed.
Early this year, daily monitor reported that Bugoma forest was turned into a plain area covered by large tracts of crops now occupying what used to be a tree cover and the area cannot be easily related to the forest which is absurd. New vision also reported that 800hactares of Bugoma Forest reserve was cut down this year by encroachers which left the state minister for Bunyoro affairs in a shock.
From the findings, it is noted that the delayed release of the approved restoration plan of the Bugoma forest reserve by HSL, which was to clear the issues of land conflict, forest destruction, and resource ownership, has increased the encroachments and degradation of the forest.
Despite the people’s efforts and engagements with the ministry and other responsible stakeholders at different levels on the urgent need to release the approved restoration plan to protect the forest and the rights of the host communities, who purely depend on the free ecosystem services in the form of herbs and tourism jobs, among others, nothing has been done.
Therefore, as we celebrate World Environment Day, the government, through NEMA, considers hearing people’s outcries and building goodwill by showing that it is interested in promoting public participation in restoring and conserving the forests for the common good by sharing a copy of the approved restoration plan for Bugoma Forest by Hoima Sugar Limited to save the forest from unsuitable and unsustainable activities that will degrade it. The government, through other responsible ministries and agencies, should also work with organizations and host communities to raise awareness of the importance of the forest reserve to people as well as the country’s economy and ensure the forest is protected.
The author is Olive Atuhaire, Research Associate.
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