The Ministry of Lands, Housing and Urban Development has called on the National Forestry Authority (NFA) to take a more active role in planting indigenous tree species as part of the national effort to restore the environment.

This call to action aims to promote the conservation of Uganda’s natural resources, mitigate the effects of climate change, and preserve biodiversity.

Speaking at the Uganda Media Centre during the launch of the Land Awareness Week, scheduled for August 25–29, 2025, in the Sebei sub-region, State Minister for Lands Sam Mayanja expressed concern over the country’s declining forest cover.

He criticized the NFA for replacing indigenous forests with eucalyptus plantations.

“It is unfortunate that as our forest cover disappears, the NFA is planting eucalyptus trees instead of indigenous species,” Mayanja said.

He urged the NFA to use its expertise and resources to lead the campaign for planting native tree species, which are more suitable for Uganda’s local climate and soil conditions.

As part of this year’s Land Awareness Week, over 5,000 trees are expected to be planted in the Sebei sub-region.

Mayanja also revealed that the government plans to launch a broader initiative, requiring each district to plant at least 1,000 trees annually as a sustainable step toward environmental restoration.

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