The Green Lung of Uganda
A holistic reforestation project with the purpose of enhancing the resilience of forest adjacent communities
Project Facts
Location
Uganda
Hoima, Masindi (Reforestation between Budongo and Bugoma forest reserves)
Applied Financing Solutions
Grants
Project Dates
Start: 2016
| End: 2020
In operation since/from: 2017
The Story
The purpose of the Green Lung project in western Uganda is to enhance the resilience of forest adjacent communities and to protect ecosystems through community-led adaptation interventions focusing on riparian forest afforestation, natural regeneration and facilitating sustainable livelihood diversification. The project addresses the problems that contribute to forest degradation, specifically focusing on clearing for agriculture and unsustainable harvesting. In dealing with these problems, the project also looks at underlying problems such as increased demand for forest products (i.e. poles, timber, for construction, charcoal production; firewood for domestic use), and will tackle the issue of incentives for community participation in conservation through investing in tangible livelihood/economic safety nets, and increasing knowledge on the value of forests. Additionally, the project helps to maintain moisture within the soil and to mitigate the predicted increase in droughts in the target area.
Success Factor | Hero Moment
The commitment of the local community has been the key factor for the success of this project. In 1996 the local farmers were told that tobacco growing was a way of earning a lot of money for the families and the community. So trees were cleared and tobacco was planted. In the coming years the water started to decrease slowly until it dried up. The Jane Goodall Institute explained that this was linked to the clearing of the forest and offered native tree seedlings. As the trees grew the water started to come back again. One farmer explained: “So we find that tree planting is actually life for water and water is also life for people and animals as well as sustainability of everything.”
Submitter
Jane Goodall Institute, Austria
Other Involved Stakeholders
Jane Goodall Institute Uganda
Contact Mail
office@janegoodall.at
Website
https://www.janegoodall.org.nz/trees-for-tomorrow-africa/
