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Agago, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT | Agago district has started the process of planting trees to replace those that have been massively cut over the past few years.
The development follows a resolution made in a council meeting, held on January 31, 2022, where the leaders agreed to make tree planting a mandate. The idea is to have all administrative units, institutions, and households in the district plant trees annually on May 13.
The district leaders have already started setting up tree nursery beds where the community will get seedlings from. Johnson Okidi, the District Forest Officer, says they are erecting a large nursery bed at the district headquarters to support the mass tree planting and sustain the initiative aimed and restoring and preserving the environment.
Okidi adds that the district has partnered with organizations such as NGO Forum Pader, GIZ, and National Forestry Authority (NFA), who will avail seedlings of Pine, beechwood or white teak, Tectona Grandis (teak) among others.
Agago district Speaker Samuel Kitang says the rate of deforestation in the district is worrying, and it is high time the leaders showed the community the importance of planting trees.
Morris Ocana, the vice-chairperson of the district says the district will pre-launch the mass tree-planting initiative on April 13, by showing the community how to dig the holes for planting the trees, and how many trees are needed in a particular area in preparation for planting month after. Ocana says during the prelaunch, they will plant trees all-round the Gen. Paul Lokech Memorial Stadium.
Ocana appealed to neighbouring districts and clans to adopt the same initiative for the conservation of the environment and to avoid encroachment on preserved tree species. He says they will soon draft a by-law that will penalize those found destroying trees.
Rwot Kassimiro Ongom, the Patongo clan leader says they had already talked to district leaders about the need to force those in the charcoal business to plant trees and replace those they have destroyed. Kassimiro says they have a list of more than 100 dealers in charcoal in all the wards in the district, and this will make it easier to identify those who should be given seedlings first.
Agago District Education Officer, Esther Aryemo commended the initiative and urged all schools to focus on tree planting and make it part of their activities. Aryemo noted that in the last two years, at least three Primary schools had the roofs of some of their classrooms blown off by the wind, which she says could not have happened if the schools had trees.
She says planting trees will also save some schools which are always affected by flooding during seasons of heavy rain.
Agago district has been on the spot for massive tree cutting in the past three years, with clan leaders estimating that at least 100 trees are cut daily for charcoal.
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