Restoring the West Bugwe Central Forest Reserve and changing lives

In 2019, the Uganda Timber Growers Association secured the first the Forest Stewardship Council® (FSC®) Forest Management Group Certification in Uganda. In 2022, the Group Scheme was expanded to include the West Bugwe Central Forest Reserve (CFR) with the aim to restore 1,000 hectares of degraded areas within the natural forest. This story presents the perspectives of local community members participating in the project.

July 2, 2024

The forest patrol with Florence Nadunga from the National Forestry Authority (NFA) of Uganda

Florence is a forester and supervisor of the forest reserve at the National Forest Authority (NFA) of Uganda. NFA is the government agency that manages all central forest reserves in the country.

How restoration impact people

Ngolobe Deogratias is community member from in Busitema Subcounty in Eastern Uganda. He is one of the local community members working on a project to restore degraded areas of the West Bugwe Central Forest Reserve. He and another 150 community members serve the project as planters and patrol teams.

Benefits of forest restoration in Busitema Subcounty in Eastern Uganda

Ben Okamar, the local chairperson in Busitema subcounty, in Eastern Uganda. He says the community is proud to participate in the project since it helps restore the forest to its natural state. Besides providing local medicine and food crops, Ben believes the forest is essential to the community.