This presentation by Kureeba David, NAPE, focuses on the status of the forests in Uganda, the underlying causes for that status, how REDD+ is involved and what the impacts of that landscapes change is.

1. The underlying causes of
landscapes change in Uganda
By
Kureeba David,
coordinator forests and biodiversity, the national
association of professional environmentalists
NAPE/FoEU
Email: kureebamd@yahoo.com and kureeba@gmail.com,
Tel: +256705363302
Skype: david588x

2. About NAPE
• National association of professional
environmentalists
• Environmental organization, lobbies and
advocates SM of NR for the benefit of all
• Registered in 1997.
• Partners with GFC
• Friends of the earth Uganda.

3. Status of forests in Uganda
• Forests and woodlands cover a total of 4.9 million
hectares, about 24% of the
• total land area. Tropical high forests (THF) cover
924,208 ha, forest plantations cover
• 35,066 ha and woodlands cover 3,974,102 ha. Of
the 4.9 million hectares, 30% are in
• protected areas (Forest Reserves, National Parks
and Wildlife Reserves) and 70% are
• found on private land.

4. Status of forest in Uganda cont..d
• Estate (PFE), which is 1.9 million hectares. Of
this, Central Forest Reserves (CFRs) cover
1,265,742 ha.
• The forests on private land are being
devastated, and those in National
• Parks are inaccessible for provision of forest
products.
• There is annual loss of forests at 2%

5. Underlying causes
• Access to electricity in Uganda is limited to 9%
of the population, the remaining 91% of the
population mainly use biomass is form of
firewood or charcoal for their energy needs
(MEMD, 2007).

6. Underlying causes
• Poor implementation of the national policies
and laws.
• Promotion of plantation agriculture: In
(Kalangala, 10000 hectares)

7. Underlying causes of deforestation
• Oil palm development in lake Victoria one of
the biggest fresh water lakes in the world the
source of river Nile a riparian resource
• Mining (oil and gas)
• Weak implementation of environmental laws
and policies. Coupled with corruption
,coupled with a lax approach to authorization
of investments.
• Voluntary carbon offset projects

9. Flower farms
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•
•
•
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A lot and excessive use of agro chemicals
Ramser destruction
Community rights violation
Biodiversity loss
In whose interest are these projects?

10. Insert Lutembe photo

11. LARGE SCALE DESTRUCTION OF FOREST COVER

12. Land use change due to market
mechanisms like REDD+
• Carbon off set projects – FACE Foundation Green
resources, New forest company among others
• REDD will most likely cause adverse impacts on
communities dependent on forest products
• With the coming of REDD there are many aspects
that will change i.e. access to firewood, timber
for construction……
• No chance for weighing options
• species diversity is not taken seriously by most
projects

13. Some of the impacts of REDD + And
other models of carbon offset
•
•
•
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FPIC
Land grabbing
Denied access rights
Respect for the safeguard policies of financial
institutions like the world bank.
• National REDD strategies to what extent do they take
into account the demands of local communities and
indigenous communities?
• Already around USD 3.6 has been approved by world
bank to finance REDD activities in Uganda. How are
communities benefiting from this whole REDD+
business?

14. Impacts of landscapes change.
•
•
•
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Floods
Community conflicts over resources
Reduced yield
Food insecurity etc

16. The impacts of deforestation and
forest degradation
• Biodiversity loss
• Land grabbing and loss of community
conserved areas.
• Food insecurity
• Increased vulnerability and women and
children
• Local climate variation e.t.c

17. Conclusion,
• The underlying causes of landscapes change
have been kept silent and there is no way
these issues can be addressed until the
underlying causes are identified. Proper
management of land is an equivalent of
proper management of life.

18. Recommendations
• The underlying causes of landscapes degradation
need to be acknowledged, identified and
addressed.
• There is need to be an absolute change in the
way all governments approach consultation with
affected communities.
• There is need to resolve land tenure
disputes, taking into account and acknowledging
and respecting the indigenous territories and
local communities and other traditional forms of
land tenure.

19. Recommendations cont..d
• Forest funding need to be channeled into the
most effective and equitable solutions
available. These solutions may not be as costly
as REDD and other market oriented solutions
rather they require responses based on
integrated coherent and effective national
sustainable development policies that are not
impeded by the interests of the market.

20. Recommendations cont..d
• There is need to recognize that family and
peasant agriculture can provide the answers
and proposals to confront climate change and
maintain life on the planet.

21. Does Carbon trade offer the
Answer to landscape
challenges and forests
protection?
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