Protecting Our Forests for a Healthier Future and a Safe Environment

World Environment Day is observed every year on the fifth of June to remind us that the health of the planet shapes the health of our communities, farms, and families. In 2026 the global focus is on climate action, and for Uganda this is a chance to look closely at one of our greatest natural assets: our forests. 

Uganda’s forests have long supported livelihoods, regulated rainfall, protected soils, and provided clean water for rivers like the Nile and Lake Victoria’s catchment areas. From Mabira , Budongo to the Rwenzori foothills and the Albertine Rift, these forests are a home to unique wildlife and plant species found nowhere else. They also act as natural carbon stores, helping to slow the effects of climate change that are already being felt through shifting rains, longer dry spells, and stronger storms across the country.

Yet forest cover in Uganda has been under pressure from charcoal burning, agricultural expansion, and illegal logging. When forests disappear, the impacts are felt quickly. Soils erode, water sources dry up, and communities lose the firewood, medicinal plants, and income that forests provide. World Environment Day 2026 invites us to change that story by focusing on how we can use forests sustainably while conserving them for future generations.

Sustainable use means finding a balance between meeting present needs and keeping the forest alive and productive. In Uganda this looks like agroforestry, where farmers plant trees alongside crops to improve soil fertility and provide shade and timber. It looks like community forest management, where local groups are given responsibility to protect and benefit from forest resources through planting, controlled harvesting, and ecotourism. It also means promoting alternatives to charcoal, such as briquettes made from agricultural waste, and supporting tree planting initiatives in schools, churches, and villages. Organizations across Uganda are already showing that when communities lead conservation, forests recover and livelihoods improve.

The government, through the National Forestry Authority, Ministry of Water and Environment, local authorities and other implementing agencies, has a role in enforcing laws, protecting central forest reserves, and supporting tree growing programs. But lasting change happens when every Ugandan sees the forest as part of their own future. Planting a tree, reporting illegal cutting, supporting sustainably sourced timber, and teaching children about the value of forests are all actions that add up. Tourism around forests also provides an economic reason to keep them standing, as visitors come to see chimpanzees in Kibale, birds in Bwindi, and the unique landscapes that only intact forests can offer.

                       NFA and World Bank officials inspecting forest restoration in Kyenjonjo 

World Environment Day 2026 in Uganda should be more than a date on the calendar. It is a reminder that climate action starts at home, and that our forests are one of the most effective tools we have. By using them wisely and protecting them actively, we can conserve biodiversity, stabilize rainfall, secure water sources, and create green jobs. The choices made today in Mabira, Budongo, and every small woodlot across the country will determine whether future generations inherit a landscape that can still provide, protect, and sustain.

Let this year’s commemoration in Baku inspire action here at home. In Uganda, climate action means keeping our forests standing and using them in ways that benefit both people and nature. Uganda’s forest cover has declined from 24% of land area in 1990 to 12.8% in 2025. The National Forestry Authority/Ministry of Water and Environment reported a drop from 24% in 1990 to 12.8% in 2025 and the annual report indicates there is slowed decline in the forest loss. 

Let’s protect and use the Environment sustainably 

By Katalikawe William 

williamkatali@gmail.com 

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