On Saturday 8 June 2024, National Forestry Authority in collaboration with the Office of the Resident District Commissioner, in Kyenjojo District led the stakeholders in a forest monitoring field tour to assess the activities in the Central Forest Reserves funded by Irish Government and Swedish International Corporation Agency through the World Bank under the “Securing of Uganda’s Natural Resource Base in Protected Areas” project.
The project aimed at supporting sustainable management of, and increase benefits to communities from, target protected areas in response to COVID-19 impacts, building of capacity of organized community groups to access and manage protected resources as well as engage in income generating activities to improve community livelihoods. with the focus on the 13 Central Forest Reserves (CFRs) under NFA: Budongo, Bugoma, Kasyoha-Kitomi, Kalinzu, Wambabya Matiri, Ibambaro, Kitechura, Kibego, Muhangi, Itwara, Rwensambya, South Maramagambo.
The project supported activities such as boundary opening and marking with concrete pillar, forest restoration and enrichment planting, supporting Collaborative Forest Management groups with income generating activities like apiary (bee keeping), tailoring, soap and charcoal making. These approaches of boundary openings have been able to solve problems of encroachment and land conflicts with the neighbouring community members.
The monitoring visit started from Bitooma area where we were able to see the pillars that were planted to separate the community from the Central Forest Reserve, the restored area in Kitechura CFR, a CFM group in Kitega called Kitega Community Environmental Association in Kitechura CFR.
By empowering these communities, it has reduced pressure on natural forests and strengthening a working relationship with the forest adjacent communities for sustainable forest management.