According to the warden forest restoration, Mr. Richard Kigenyi, the project is rehabilitating
10,000 hactares of degraded land in Kibale National Park where natural causes, human
disturbances and poor land management has led to severe degradation and soil erosion.

The forest cover acts as carbon sinks, storing the carbon dioxide in the wood and soil, and
preventing immediate release.Kigenyi said they have so far restored 4,600 hectares, 3,500 regenerated naturally and about 2000 hectares remaining are valleys, swamps and hills.

He said this rainy season, they are planting about 30 hectares and they close the area, and then
after, UWA will decide which area to plant next. “29 years now, the project has registered a success. We have raised a forest which is unique with only indigenous trees. And the main objective of this project is to raise a forest which absorbs carbon dioxide in the atmosphere” he said.

Kigenyi revealed that out of the 1.8million trees planted, 1.5million tones of carbon dioxide have
been absorbed into that forest. “Every after three years, all the planted trees are assessed to ascertain how much carbon dioxide has been absorbed. In the recent assessment, 1 hectare had absorbed 220 tonnes of carbon dioxide and the 230,000 tones of carbon dioxide had been absorbed in the whole forest” he said.

According to Kigenyi, the revenue from carbon is shared equally between the project and Kibale
National park. He however revealed that the 50 percent that the park gets is shared with the community which takes 25 percent of it and the park takes 75 percent. “The 75 percent we get from our share is invested back into restoration and the 25 percent that goes to the community is used to supporting the livelihood projects, life skills among others” he said.

He further noted that the project is not only helping in combating climate change but has reduced
on poaching because they are supporting communities with livelihoods to enable them get some
income and desist from poaching.

By planting indigenous trees and supporting natural regeneration, the project which is run jointly
with the Uganda Wildlife Authority, will create a thriving carbon sink. The area has a very high concentration of primates and has achieved Biodiversity Gold certification under the climate, community and Biodiversity standard. Carbon trading is a market-based system aimed at reducing greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. Under the Kyoto Protocol countries are obliged to reduce carbon emissions in an attempt to mitigate the effects of climate change.

The Kyoto Protocol is an international agreement signed in 1997 which commits countries by
setting internationally binding emission reduction targets.  The forest cover acts as carbon sinks, storing the carbon dioxide in the wood and soil, and preventing immediate release.

Challenges

Mr. Bashir Hangi the UWA public relations officer said there is too much pressure on the demand for
forest products by the communities who enter the park illegally. He revealed that people illegally access the forest for products to make energy drinks and other herbal medicines hence injuring the forest and affecting its growth.

“Nearly all the trees we have in the park are endangered because they are used to make herbal
medicine. Though we choose some time and give free entry to people in the community to access
the forest, they have continued to access it illegally and when they get there they don’t know
what to take and what to leave” Hangi said. He however said that they are working hand in hand with the community to ensure they address these challenges.

He called upon communities around the park and the general public embrace planting of
indigenous trees around their homes in order to contribute to addressing the issue of climate
change.