The government has been urged to increase the number of forest rangers to curb illegal tree cutting across the country, amid growing concerns over deforestation.

The call comes as the National Forestry Authority (NFA), in partnership with the Ministry of Water and Environment and NCBA Bank, launched an ambitious campaign to plant one million trees aimed at restoring Uganda’s declining forest cover.

As part of the initiative, at least 20,000 trees were planted today in Namananga Forest Reserve, within Mabira Forest, located in Kangulumira Town Council, Kayunga District.

The exercise marks the beginning of a nationwide rollout expected to cover multiple regions in a bid to reverse environmental degradation.

However, leaders have warned that such restoration efforts risk being undermined by ongoing illegal logging, largely due to weak enforcement on the ground.

The Mayor of Kangulumira Town Council, Robert Kiggundu, expressed concern over the limited number of forest rangers, noting that in some areas, only one or two personnel are tasked with monitoring vast stretches of forest land.

He said this shortage creates significant gaps that illegal loggers continue to exploit, calling on the government to urgently boost ranger numbers and strengthen forest protection mechanisms to safeguard Uganda’s natural resources.

By Charles Katabalwa