MASAKA: NFA and Bank of Baroda join forces to restore Jubia Forest Reserve
According to data compiled by the NFA, the Jubia Forest Reserve is one of 60 natural forests adjacent to Lake Victoria in the Greater Masaka region
MASAKA, December 12, 2024 – – Under its slogan “Earth Banking for a Greener Planet”, Bank of Baroda has partnered with the National Forest Authority [NFA] and the local community to replant 10 hectares of trees in the Jubia Natural Forest Reserve, located in Bukakata Subcounty, Masaka district.
Shashi Dhar, Managing Director of Bank of Baroda, stated that trees are crucial for purifying the air, conserving water, reducing soil erosion, and providing both shade, and shelter for wildlife.
“Bank of Baroda believes in addressing the pressing issues of climate change, deforestation, and urbanisation by planting trees, thereby investing in the future of the planet and ensuring a greener legacy for our children,” he said.
According to data compiled by the NFA, the Jubia Forest Reserve is one of 60 natural forests adjacent to Lake Victoria in the Greater Masaka region. However, its natural resources have been depleted by fishing communities, as well as people interested in settlement, crop cultivation, timber, and the charcoal business.
Robert Mubokhisa, the NFA’s Acting Range Manager for the Masaka region, explained that Jubia Forest Reserve, which covers 4,571 hectares, was gazetted as a protected forest adjacent to Lake Victoria. However, local populations have exerted significant pressure on it through tree cutting. “This forest reserve protects the lake, but the local population seems unaware of its value to the community,” he remarked.
He added that 31 natural forest reserves are located on the islands of Kalangala, and 29 are found in the districts of Masaka, Rakai, Kyotera, and Sembabule. These areas are at risk due to rapid population growth and the high demand for land for settlement, crop cultivation, and timber and charcoal production.
Robert Owinyi, the NFA Coordinator for Natural Forest Management, stated that Jubia Forest Reserve was gazetted because of its rich ecological biodiversity, which contributes to the rivers and streams that flow into Lake Victoria.
“An assessment conducted in 1996 ranked Jubia Forest Reserve 44th out of 506 forest reserves in the country for its rich biodiversity, but by 2024, more than 50 percent of its biodiversity has been depleted,” he said. “There is a need to maintain its status as a protected forest reserve.”
Owinyi urged the people living around protected forest reserves, as well as local political leaders at all levels, to take responsibility for protecting the forests. “It is illegal to enter protected forest reserves and cut trees for timber, construction, or crop cultivation,” he warned, adding that such actions contravene the law.
He also advised residents to dedicate at least 10 percent of their small plots of land to commercial tree planting, rather than encroaching on natural forests.
However, Andrew Batemyeto, the LC5 Chairman for Masaka District, revealed that his office, along with natural resource officers, has completed the demarcation of all protected forest reserves. He also called on the Ministry of Energy to provide free gas cylinders to communities around the protected forest reserves to reduce the reliance on firewood.
Masaka’s Deputy Resident District Commissioner, Robert Kambugu, commended Bank of Baroda for collaborating with the local community to restore the Jubia Forest Reserve.
https://thecooperator.news/census-officials-in-masaka-finding-it-hard-to-count-fishermen/
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