A group of religious leaders from the five districts that make up Greater Bushenyi is leading a campaign to ban wreaths at burials.
They argue that instead of the traditional wreaths, mourners should carry tree seedlings to plant in memory of the deceased.
The Rev Fr Everest Mutambi, the parish priest of St Kagwa, is one of the prominent figures advocating for this change.
He believes wreaths are environmentally damaging and that their replacement with tree seedlings would be a more sustainable tribute.
"Wreaths are actually degraders of our environment. It's high time we get rid of them," Fr. Mutambi said. "Whenever I go for burials, I will make sure to advance this noble cause. Mourners should carry tree seedlings which they can plant in memory of the deceased," he added.
Rev. Benjamin Byayesu, Vicar at St. Peter's Cathedral Bweranyanyi, also supports this initiative, pointing out that wreaths take up valuable time during funerals. "Honestly speaking, laying wreaths takes a lot of time. Church leaders in this diocese should immediately advance tree planting instead," Byayesu said. He emphasized that the trees could be fruit-bearing or medicinal, noting their importance to both the environment and human survival.
The initiative is part of a broader effort to rejuvenate the local environment by promoting reforestation and providing a sustainable source of wood energy for both domestic and industrial use. The natural forests of Kalinju and Kasyoha-Kitomi, which previously provided firewood, timber, and medicinal plants to the community, are now off-limits.
These forests cover around 10% of the total land area in Bushenyi district. However, local communities were banned from accessing them due to environmental conservation efforts.
President Museveni recently contributed 100 million shillings to the "Make Bushenyi Great Again" (MBUGA) initiative, part of which will go toward a mass tree planting campaign.
"We want to plant over 1 million trees in the 5 districts of Greater Bushenyi. In Bushenyi alone, we plan to plant over 100,000 trees," said Pearson Mugizi, the chairman of MBUGA.
"While our main objective is to hold leaders accountable, we also want to conserve our environment," he added.
MBUGA members are currently traveling across Greater Bushenyi to distribute and plant medicinal and fruit trees, inspiring communities and schools to join the campaign.
"We thank members of Make Bushenyi Great Again for donating us these tree seedlings. It's a good gesture that they want to see our environment green. It also creates a culture within our learners that when they go home, they should plant trees," said Kiconco Enid, the headmistress of Kabushabo Seed School, after receiving over 200 tree seedlings.
The five districts of Greater Bushenyi—Bushenyi, Sheema, Buhweju, Mitooma, and Rubirizi—are known for their tea plantations. However, the tea factories rely on firewood for energy during processing.
Stakeholders believe that the tree planting campaign will provide a sustainable source of wood energy, ensuring that factories remain operational while benefiting local farmers.
"Can our tea factories operate without wood fuel? Of course not. So, our cause is to ensure that people with vacant land plant trees to provide firewood for factories and earn income by selling it," Pearson Mugizi explained.
This campaign is seen as a vital step in both conserving the environment and providing long-term economic opportunities for the region.