Bugolobi, Kiwatule residents plant over 2,000 trees to conserve environment

BUGOLOBI/KIWANTULE – Residents of Bugolobi flats -under condominium 0044-0048 – and Sunset Apartments in Kiwatule (formerly NHCC Estates) have on Saturday, May 11, braved the rain and participated in a tree planting campaign as they renew their commitment to climate change.

Led by the condominium 0044-0048 chairperson, Mr. Mukiza N Paul and area LC1 Chairperson, Kyamagwa Leo Osborn, the residents and estate support staff embarked on the exercise during the early morning showers.

“We are so lucky there is land and this initiative to encourage tree planting is an effort to turn this area into a greenbelt and remind the residents it is our responsibility to create an eco-friendly environment, ” said Mukiza.

He added that the children living in a condominium and beyond need to appreciate the initiative, and pick-up from their elders – carrying this forward.

Over 1,200 trees were secured from the National Forestry Authority (NFA) under the community tree planting initiative unveiled last year.

“We applied and NFA officials carried out a survey and furnished us with 1,200 trees of about four species. We are set to plant flowers next,” revealed Mukiiza.

One of the children in the residence, Enock Asimwe, aged 7, joined the exercise to add a new twist to the cause – leading the children.

I am proud to plant these trees because we could use them as shades in times to come. We, as the future generation, have to play our part also,” said Asiimwe as he planted his tree.

The BOD Secretary of condominium, Ms. Maria Kanyamugara extended her gratitude to the community for their participation.

“Well done tree planting team. We appreciate the initiator of this “go-green” activity as well as all the participants who braved the morning showers to make Condominium 0044-0048 a beautiful home,” said Kanyamugara.

In the case of Kiwatule, residents of Sunset Apartments contributed.

‘The exercise was successful with several residents taking part and even taking extra effort to buy the trees. Most importantly, we have sent the message and we already have some partners expressing interest to participate in the next tree planting activity,” said Mr Charles Tugeineyo – Chairperson of the SunSet Apartments community.

The Kiwatule exercise was graced by Devin Yaegar, a businessman and proprietor of Yaeger group of companies who promised to donate more tree for the campaign.

In a recent interview, NFA former Executive Director, Michael Mugisa, said the Government increased its budget by sh4bn in 2017/2018, in addition to sh2b for tree planting and NFA was set to distribute 60 million free seedlings for community tree planting.

The funds will be used to generate tree seedlings for communities and others for commercial sales.

“We also intend to plant more trees in the degraded forests. We need more trees to conserve the environment. Most of the trees are water catchment areas for Lake Victoria and others. They also help in the formation of rainfall,” Mugisa said in an interview with the NewVision in June, 2017

NFA is mandated to manage 506 Central Forest Reserves with a total area of 1,265,742 hectares and management of various protected areas. Uganda has been losing about 90,000 hectares of forests every year.

 

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