Ugandans plant trees to protect gorillas’ habitat
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Communities in Uganda planted trees near Bwindi Impenetrable National Park to provide resources for residents and reduce the need to enter gorilla habitats.
The project focuses on providing firewood, medicinal plants, and materials for crafts, giving people alternatives to harvesting from the forest. Christina Katushabe of Change a Life Bwindi explained her organization works with the Batwa, an Indigenous community, to select useful tree species and restore degraded land.
The Uganda Wildlife Authority also distributes seedlings to residents, hoping they will harvest from their own trees instead of taking resources from the park. This initiative aims to balance the growing gorilla population, roughly 450 mountain gorillas live in Bwindi, nearly half of the global total, with the limited space available to them. Tourism supports gorilla conservation in the area, creating jobs and income for local people who also sell crafts to visitors.
Residents believe the tree planting will help both people and gorillas coexist peacefully. Students at Ruhijja Seed Secondary School are participating by planting trees their families can use, contributing to the long-term sustainability of the project.
