Welcome to Tree Update 34!
In this episode, I take you on my journey through Uganda, as I monitor and learn from four of our tree-planting partners.
Rampant deforestation is threatening Uganda’s natural forests. Wildlife, biodiversity and forest ecosystems are under immense pressure. What is the root cause of deforestation in Uganda?
Biomass accounts for 90% of energy consumption, with most people having no access to the national power grid. Charcoal makes up the large majority of this biomass and is sourced from wood. How can we plant trees without them being cut down for charcoal production? In this episode, I show how our new partner, Kijani, is combining an innovative business model with fast-growing native trees to disrupt the charcoal industry.
Deforestation is destroying the habitat of chimpanzees, leaving less than 5,000 of these primates remaining in Uganda. That’s why we have been working with the Jane Goodall Institute. Here, your searches are planting forest corridors to help boost the population of one of our closest relatives.
Farmers are also key to transforming the state of Uganda's forests. Trees are often cut down to make way for agriculture. But our partner GLS is helping bring back trees to farmlands. In this video, I take you along to visit one of the five local farmer cooperatives they engage with to reforest agricultural land.
I end my journey through Uganda with our long-time partners Trees 4 Humanity, who are employing local women to reduce one of the biggest sources of single-use plastic in tree planting. Can you guess what they swapped out from their nurseries?
