A new tree for the Kaazi Forest in Uganda

In 2000, 32% of the land area in Uganda was covered by forest, but in 2015 this figure had fallen to just 8.6% (IUCN, 2016). Forests are being cut down to obtain high-quality wood and to create more agricultural, industrial and residential areas. For the local population, this means increasing drought, native animals lack sufficient refuge and the forests lose their function as the "lungs" of the planet. Reforestation is one approach to counteracting these challenges. In the Kaazi area, which covers 49.7 hectares, a pilot project shows how this could be done. In the future, a sufficient refuge for humans and animals should be created here again. The forest can then serve as a recreational area for the population, among other things. Currently, only part of this area (29%) consists of intact forest. Most of the area is currently devoid of trees. This proportion makes up 40% of the Kaazi area. The remaining area (31%) is heavily degraded forest. In 2020, together with the Uganda Scouts Association, which owns the Kaazi area, Fairventures Worldwide set up a tree nursery with a capacity of 30,000 seedlings. In the first planting season in 2021, 6,000 seedlings of native tree species were planted. This corresponds to 3.1 hectares. Initial results show that the survival rate of the seedlings is over 90%. The long-term goal is to reforest the entire area and thus create a nature reserve in the Kaazi forest.