Increasing deforestation threatening wildlife conservation-UWEC

Kampala, Uganda | THE INDEPENDENT  | The Uganda Wildlife Conservation Education Center-UWEC has decried the increased destruction of habitats in several parts of the country which is threatening breeding and livelihood of wildlife and birding.

Recent studies by Makerere University indicate that more than 200,000 hectares of forest cover have been cut down across the country. The researchers blame the increasing deforestation on the increasing growth in population.

Speaking at the Birding Expo at UWEC, James Musinguzi, the Executive Director of UWEC called for prevention measures which include the drafting of a plan that will ensure wildlife, birding and the habitat are not destroyed by human nature.

Musinguzi says, to conserve such tourism attractions, the UWEC is currently drafting a conservation strategy that will help inform the country on how conservation can be done while respecting the growing population of the country.

Andrew Sebastian the Chief Executive Officer of Nature Guide, an Eco-Tourism and Conservation Society group in Malaysia says if Uganda can conserve nature, with the different kind of tourism species the country has, a lot of income can be generated that would, in turn, help the country generate more revenue.

In 2018, government generated up to USD 5 billion (About UGX 18.5 trillion) from tourism. The Uganda Tourism Board projects that by 2040, the country will generate more than UGX 40 trillion from tourism if good marketing of the country’s tourism sites is done.

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