RE-GREENING LANDSCAPES; INVESTING DIFFERENTLY IN BUILDING CLIMATE RESILIENCE, OPTIONS FROM DISTRICT LOCAL GOVERNMENTS, A CASE FOR DISTRICT By Balikuddembe S.M. Louis – District Natural Resources Officer - Kibaale

1.0. BACK GROUND OF THE DISTRICT 1.1. Location: is one of the 111 Districts of located in the Mid Western part of the country. Location cont……..

The District bordered by lake Albert to the West, District to the North, Kyankwanzi district to the East, District to the south where as to the South West lies Kyegegwa, Kyenjojo Kabarole and Ntoroko districts. 1.2. Size The district is one of the largest in the country. It covers a total area of 4,400 sq kms, while 319 sq.kms is covered by water bodies. 1.3. Climate Kibaale District has a favourable climate for agriculture. It enjoys a bi- modal rainfall type which ranges between 1000- 1500 mm per annum. Temperatures are relatively high varying between 15-30oc. Vegetation cont……….

• The modified equatorial vegetation covers a greater of the district especially in the Sub counties of , Bubango, Kyebando, Kiryanga, Paachwa, Kabamba, kakindo, Igayaza and parts of Nalweyo. This type of vegetation used to equatorial in nature that has been modified. • The wooded savannah mosaic covers a greater part of the district and forms a transitional zone from the modified equatorial vegetation to the open savannah grassland . It is common in the sub counties of Kyanaisoke, Kyenzige, Mabaale, , Ruteete, Muhorro, parts of Bwikara, Matale, Nyamarwa and Bwanswa. 1.4.Vegetation • There are three broad categories of vegetation in the district namely; the modified equatorial type, the wooded savannah mosaic and savannah grassland. • The modified equatorial vegetation covers a greator part of the district especially in the sub counties of Bwamiramira, Bubango, Kyebando, Kiryanga, Paachwa, Kabamba, Kakindo and parts of Nalweyo. This type of vegetation used to be equatorial in nature but has been modified as a result of human activity. • The wooded savannah mosaic covers the transitional zone in the modified equatorial vegetation to the open savannah grassland. It is common in the sub counties of Kyanaisoke, kyenzige, Mabaale, Kagadi, Ruteete, Muhorro, parts of Bwikara, Matale, Nyamarwa and Bwanswa.

Vegetation cont…….

• The savannah grassland is typical in areas where human activity has modified the wooded savannah mosaic. It is mainly found in the sub counties of Rugashari, Burora, Kyakabadiima, Mpeefu, Kyaterekera, Ndaiga and Kisiita . • The thick forests especially those on private land are being used for timber harvesting although this poses a threat of environmental degradation since reforestation and afforestation are very limited. The relative price of timber and its products in the district is low compared to other districts and the district is the major source of timber to the market. • The open grassland and the thicket promote livestock faming although most of such range lands have not yet been properly developed. 2.0. Deforestation

• Basing on the 2005 satellite image report, Kibaale was ranked as the district with the highest deforestation rate in the country. • Between 1990 and 2005, the forest cover of the district shrunk from 114,102 ha. to 58,268.0 ha representing loss of 48.9% in an annual loss of about 3000 ha. • The drivers of deforestation include; (i) Forest encroachment for agriculture (ii) Over harvesting of timber (iii) use of wood as a major source of fuel (iv) Use of rudimentary technologies in burning wood and charcoal (v)Indiscriminate felling of trees to get rid of wild animals (vi) Settlement for urban development among others.

3.0. Options for re- greening

3.1. Several options are currently being used to increase tree cover in the district including:- • Woodlots planting 0.5-2ha. • Plantations 5- 20 ha. • Enrichment planting (restoration of degraded natural forests/ artificial regeneration) • Inter planting with crops such as (coffee, bananas and cocoa) • Planting along roads- (proposed but not yet implemented) • Avenue planting within town councils • Fruit tree growing (mangoes, jack fruits, avocadoes, oranges) • Farmer Managed Natural Regeneration (FMNR) –pilot project in Nalweyo S/C. (however practiced by many farmers unconsciously throughout the district).

3.2. Low cost avenues for re- greening include:-

• Farmer managed natural Regeneration (FMNR). The only in puts required are ; (i) Viable tree stumps (ii)Simple thinning and pruning tools (pangas, axes). 15 to 20 trees are recommended per acre. • Inter planting with agricultural crops (mostly with cocoa, coffee, bananas) 50 – 100 tree seedlings of Musizi, Albizia, ficus species are planted per ha. (i) Each tree seedling costs between 500/= and 1000/= (ii) Maintenance of trees especially weeding is included in agricultural crop management costs. • Enrichment planting, (i) costs to cover tree seedlings, (ii) planting, (iii) one or two spot weeding regimes

3.3. High cost avenues for increasing tree cover include

• woodlot and plantation establishment; Costs are required to cover; (i) Seed/ seedlings (ii)Ground preparation (iii) Lining and pitting (iv) Planting (v)weeding (vi) Pest /disease control (termites are manace in many parts of the district) (vii) Fire protection etc. Estimated cost of establishing 1 ha. of pine or eucalyptus plantation is 2-2.5 million shillings.

High cost avenues cont………

(viii) Watering in case of drought (ix) Purchase of land (There is shortage of land for woodlot and plantation establishment average land holdings is 3 acres ). NB. Only about 100 ha. are planted annually using this avenue with uncertain survival ; compared to 3,000 ha. lost per year.

• Fruit tree growing avenue (promoted under production department for nutritional needs and income generation as well as environment conservation). Involves high costs in; (i) Seedling purchase ( e.g. Mangoes cost between 3000 – 5000) (ii) Spraying against pests and diseases (prices of agro chemicals is very high) (ii) Land purchase (iii) Marketing of fruits

4.0. Adequacy of available options in re- greening the land scapes to build resilience to climate change.

Of the available options FMNR has a high potential in re-greening the land scapes to build resilience to climate change because of its advantages which include:- • Low cost (stumps are readily available in most areas) • Fast growth from coppices • Conservation of indigenous tree species • Conservation of ecologically compatible tree species • |Minimal damage by termites • Easy to gain skills required for its practice • Conservation of variety of species on the farm enhancing biological diversity conservation • Conservation of multi purpose tree species possible (timber, medicinal, fuel wood, soil conservation, fodder and bee forage). • Can cover a wide area over a short period (Already in one sub county of Nalweyo 40 FMNR champions have committed at least 40 ha. to this technology) 5.0.What district local governments can do differently;

• Raise awareness of the public about FMNR • Set up agro forestry demonstration sites using FMNR technology. It is an activity within the Output Budgeting Tool (OBT )under training in Forestry management • Formulate policies and by- laws for promotion of FMNR • Plan and budget adequately for FMNR • Promote planting of fruit trees for conservation nutrition and income generation purposes • With researchers indentify tree species suitable for FMNR according to the purpose. • In the District Environment Action Plan (DEAP) identify FMNR as a strategy to combat deforestation • Promote FMNR as a practice in land use planning at homestead level