In Uganda, the forest area is dwindling more and more. Currently, 9% of the country is forested. In Germany, the figure is 32%. The Ugandan government provides its citizens with seedlings for trees free of charge, especially in the north. These are both fruit trees and trees that can be used for forestry.
But this offer is hardly accepted, as the residents do not see the benefit. “Why should I plant trees if my offspring benefit from them?”
So it goes on with the charcoal production. This is a good source of income, as people in the cities cannot cook with firewood.
Erosion, climate change, desertification, sinking of the groundwater level…
How to get people to recognize this development and take steps towards change?
David’s place makes a difference, as you can see on the video below. No one else has so many trees. In the wide area there are no bananas, papayas, jackfruit trees, eucalyptus… The large trees are eucalytus trees that are only 5 years old.
There are first neighbors who ask. Maybe that’s a good way. Also interesting is this report published by the UN Refugee Agency: Trees are life.
Here is a look at the almost treeless neighboring town of Padibe. Only at the bottom right there is a tree-covered area. This is the Catholic mission station founded by Italian monks.