Rich forests cover 49,000 square kilometres of Uganda, accounting for approximately 24% of the country’s total area. However, as of 2018 only 7% (or approximately 4,000 square kilometres) of this area is primary forest.

Uganda’s forests have a rich biodiversity, including 4,900 species of plants and 1,592 species of amphibians, birds, mammals, and reptiles. Unfortunately, about 3% of these animals are considered threatened, including endangered species such as gorillas, elephants, and chimpanzees.

The demand for fuelwood and charcoal from Uganda’s forests have been a significant driver of forest degradation. Ninety percent of Ugandans rely on firewood for cooking amid rising electricity prices, and approximately 58 percent of the firewood used for cooking is taken from these natural forests.

In addition, land clearing to make way for plantations is also causing the destruction of the forest’s natural biodiversity. Uganda’s forests, such as the Bugoma Forest Reserve, were cleared to make way for sugar plantations as well as numerous commercial developments. In the Bugoma Forest Reserve alone, this threatened the habitat of 23 species of animals, including 550 highly endangered chimpanzees and endemic Ugandan mangabeys.

With your contribution, we are planting trees that will help recover and sustain Uganda’s forests.