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A. LE FLOCH
AN environmentalist has warned that the rest of Mabira Forest will be degraded if part of it is turned into a sugarcane plantation.
The Executive Director of Nature Uganda, Mr Achilles Byaruhanga, said, "Ecologically, you definitely lose biodiversity when the forest is changed into a plantation." Byaruhanga was adressing journalists in Kampala on Wednesday. "Clearing part of the forest will degrade the remaining forest cover. In other words, they would rather clear the whole forest."
On August 8, Daily Monitor reported that President Yoweri Museveni had directed the Ministry of Water and Environment to give away a quarter of Mabira Forest to the Mehta Group of Companies to grow sugar cane.
Mehta are the owners of the Sugar Corporation of Uganda .
Byaruhanga said the forest was of big bio importance to Uganda, and one of the remaining forests in the world with unique bird, plant, butterfly and tree species.
"Mabira Forest is one of the richest forest reserves in terms of biological diversity with a lot of tourism potential," he said.
"It is one of the world's important bird area and probably one of the largest because it has semi-endemic species of birds that attract tourists."
Former Lubaga South MP Ken Lukyamuzi said he was disappointed with the government over the giveaway of the forest.
"I am very disappointed in the government. It is a shame that Museveni decides that Mabira Forest should be given to investors yet there is alternative land to give out," he said.
"Let us come out and oppose this move."
The giveaway of Mabira Forest comes after the National Forestry Authority, the lead government agency and regulatory body over forestland, has written advising against the move. In response to a letter from the President's Principal Private Secretary, Ms Amelia Kyambadde, asking for its opinion, NFA said degazetting Mabira Forest would have negative environmental and economic impact.
"It is our considered opinion that a change in the land use/degazettment of Mabira Forest Reserve would have far reaching implications on the ecology of Mabira," NFA's Executive Director Olav Bjella said in a July 17 letter.