NGO plants 600 trees inside Kyambogo University to replenish environment
Fairventures Worldwide, a non-profit organization has partnered with Kyambogo to plant a forest of 600 trees at the university as part of efforts to deal with effects of climate change.
Speaking on Thursday, Patience Naamara, the Country Director for Fairventures Worldwide said the activities are part of the international day for forests celebrated every March, 21.
“Since we are a reforestation organization, we thought it prudent to partner with Kyambogo University to plant a forest inside the university to add to the cause of adding tree cover in the country. Whereas we are doing it now, we are too late, we should have done it 20 years ago,” Naamara said.
She said the NGO taped into students to plant these trees as a way of training them young to look after the environment but also be change agents in their society.
“The age group we targeted today was students below 30 years who we think will go out in the world to be change agents for this cause but also spread the gospel of reforestation. Also, their hands on involvement creates the sense of ownership in that if anyone came tomorrow to cut down this forest, they will protest since they know what it takes to plant a forest,”Naamara said.
Prof. Charles Kakwikire Twesigye, from the department of biological sciences at Kyambogo University underscored the role of such a forest in the university.
“Planting a forest in a university are immense, now that we are facing the reality of climate change and the safest way out is planting more trees. University majorly focus on teaching, research and community service and this forest will be used as a field laboratory for research while studying about environment,” Prof, Kakwikire said.
He said with a number of courses teaching about environment, the forest will be of much use for teaching purposes and therefore there must be efforts to ensure it is sustainably managed.
Dr.Grace Kizito Bakyayita, the head of department of environmental science at Kyambogo University said with the current trend of changes in the environment, planting trees is the way out.
“We are now realizing that seasons have changed from the previous two to the current one. This is because of climate change. However, we should know climate change doesn’t come in a short time but takes a long time. The effects of climate change that we see today like the high temperatures are as a result of activities that happened over 15 years ago. Therefore, it is high time we changed our behaviour and start replenishing the environment through tree planting as a way of averting climate change,” Dr.Bakyayita said.
