By Ben Musanje
Northern Uganda is witnessing a dramatic push to restore its vanishing forests, and the results are turning heads across the region. What once looked like a land stripped bare is now slowly gaining a new face, as government-led programmes roll out thousands of seedlings, revive old forest reserves and bring back wildlife that had long disappeared.
At the centre of this effort stands Gracious Aguti, the Sector Manager for East Lango in the Ministry of Water and Environment. Speaking about the mission, Aguti who found at the Ministry’s regional offices in Lira City said, “Our goal is simple, restore what was lost and protect what is still standing. Communities must be part of this movement if we are to succeed.”
Her team oversees six districts include, Lira district, Lira City, Amolatar, Alebtong, Otuke and Dokolo where communities are being encouraged to plant more trees, protect natural species and replace what has been lost over decades of destruction.
The government’s National Tree Planting Project has become the engine of this forest comeback. Under this programme, communities receive free seedlings every planting season.
In 2024 alone, more than 59,000 seedlings were distributed across the region. “We want every household to plant at least a few trees each year. That is how landscapes change, one family at a time,” Aguti explains. New nurseries are being set up around Lira City to supply districts with species that suit their soils.
Farmers are also receiving guidance on species matching, a critical move after years of planting the wrong trees in the wrong places. Areas like Otuke, where pines fail badly, are now being guided to plant species like gmelina and teak. “We no longer encourage species that cannot survive here. It is a waste of money and time,” Aguti notes. Trees such as pinus patula, which cannot survive in northern Uganda, are no longer recommended.
Land fragmentation has made large-scale planting difficult, so families are adopting boundary planting and compound planting. Many are combining tree planting with beekeeping. One farmer explains, “When we hang beehives on the young trees, the bees protect them from intruders, and we earn from honey. It’s two benefits in one.”
But while planting increases, illegal cutting remains a stubborn threat. Under strict orders, Aguti’s team has been impounding trucks full of charcoal and arresting those dealing in commercial firewood. “We cannot allow destruction to continue while we are restoring,” she says firmly. More than 20,000 bags of charcoal have been seized, many of them handed over to communities or women’s groups instead of allowing traders to transport them out of the region.
Despite this enforcement, some forest reserves had already been devastated. One major example is the Kachung Central Forest Reserve in Agwata, which once lay completely depleted. Today, that 3,960-hectare reserve has been replanted by private tree farmers and the National Forest Authority (NFA).
A local tree farmer describes the transformation: “When we started, this place was bare. Now it brings rain, gives us firewood and creates jobs for our youth.” Farmers plant fast-growing eucalyptus and other valuable species in cycles—harvesting and replanting every 10 to 15 years.
Restoration work is also happening in other areas. In Otuke District, 38 hectares of shea trees have been planted under a NEMA project. In Alebtong, 15 hectares of teak and gmelina have been established. In Dokolo’s Unekokeo area, 28 hectare have been restored with a mix of pines, teak, grevillea and gmelina.
The change on the ground is visible. Animals that once vanished are returning. “We now see monkeys and antelopes almost every week. The children even fear the warthogs that enter our gardens,” says a resident of Alebtong.
Leopards have been spotted again, reminding communities of the wild heritage the region once had. Butterflies fill areas that were once dust and dryness.
But not all impacts are positive. Some streams inside the reserves have shrunk after eucalyptus was planted close to riverbanks. “We are learning from our mistakes. Not every species should be planted everywhere, especially near wetlands,” Aguti acknowledges.
Still, with forest cover in the region estimated at 75%, officials believe it can rise to 85% by 2030 if communities keep planting and stop unnecessary cutting.
Radio campaigns, free seedlings and community patrols are all pushing the effort forward. “If we remain consistent, this region will be greener than it has ever been,” Aguti predicts.
Plans are also underway to upgrade some restored forests into eco-tourism sites. Hills long preserved by cultural traditions may soon attract visitors, offering a new source of income for communities while protecting the environment.
Northern Uganda’s landscape is changing slowly, stubbornly and dramatically. What was broken is being mended, and the trees rising from the soil are the strongest sign yet that the region is fighting hard to reclaim its green future. (For comments on this story, get back to us on 0705579994 [WhatsApp line], 0779411734 & 041 4674611 or email us at mulengeranews@gmail.com).
