Falls on River Musamywa

Transcription

1 Falls on River Musamywa

2 The race to give or conserve Mabira Forest Reserve By Achilles Byaruhanga Executive Director NatureUganda

3 Status of forestry in Uganda ' Semuliki NP Mt. Rwenzori NP Queen Elizabeth NP Bwindi Impenetrable NP Mgahinga NP R W A N D A N D E M O C R A T I C R E P U B L I C O F C O N G O Itwara CFR Kibale NP Kasyoha- Kitomi CFR Kalinzu CFR Maramagambo CFR International boundary L a k e A l b e r t Lake Mburo NP Population density (persons/square Kilometer) Bugoma CFR Buyaga Dam CFR Sango Bay CFRs Budongo CFR S U D A N T A N Z A N I A Forests ' ' Lake Kyoga L a k e V i c t o r i a 0 60 Kilometers Scale 1: 3,500,000 Permanent wetland Temporaly wetland Mabira CFR U g a n d a Kidepo NP Mt. Elgon NP K E N Y A Location of Uganda in Africa Source of data: National Biomass Study, Prepared by: J.A, RS& GIS Lab, MUIENR ' 1900, forests covered 10.8m ha constituting 52% of land area of Uganda In 2000, there was estimated <5m ha constituting 24% of land area Rate of land clearance 0.9% % per year ie (70, ,000 ha) If this rate continues we shall clear all our forests in <50 years

4 Importance of forestry Employment in forestry by 2002; over 850,000 jobs (informal) and over 100,000 (formal employment) Source of energy; 97% of Ugandans depend of fuelwood Forest products; medicines, food, shelter/poles ie. 75% over the world depend on traditional medicines Food safety/security Tourism; constituent of forest and natural beauty ie. Uganda received Over $660m in 2010 Cultural/religious importance Environmental benefits/services Hydrology/ Water sources Carbon/climate change Regulate soil and water quality and conservation Biodiversity conservation

5 Proposed Mabira Forest Seizure MABIRA FOREST RESERVE - Management Zones N 220 Namulaba #Y F.S #Y Forest Stations Roads Compartment boundaries Contours Management Zones Buffer Zone Local forests Production Zone Recreation Zone Strict Nature Reserve 232 Nagadi 225 Kinonko #Y Naluvule F.S. Maligita F.S. #Y Kiwala 226 Namanyama #Y Kyabana F.S. Kyabana Nagojje F.S. #Y Namusa Bwola F.S. #Y Buwola 203 #Y Wanende F.S Najjembe F.S. #Y Najjembe #Y Lwankima F.S. To Kam pal To Jinja Kilometers

6 SCOUL s Justification Increased sugar production, foreign exchange savings of about $ m per annum Production of 1 12 MW of electricity Job creation (additional 3500 jobs ie cane cutters paid Ush.2000) Infrastructure investment (roads in the plantation, schools, houses for workers, etc) Biofuel (gasohol) etc

7 Mabira s Attributes a high level of biodiversity richness; including endemic and globally threatened species The only major CFR in close proximity to a large urban population in central Uganda (Kampala, Jinja, Mukono, Entebbe, Masaka) significantly supports the livelihoods of the adjacent communities (medicines, water, poles, firewood, foods, etc) critical component of the hydrological cycle and water catchment sources of two main rivers (Musamya and Sezibwa) high tourism potential; over 62% of all revenue from FR significant sink for greenhouse gases the main causes of global warming and climate change Source of employment, etc

8 controversy the conservationists had very strong reasons for their arguments and SCOUL had his. Unfortunately, there was no common denominator for comparison. Hence the need for the economics evaluation study the economics analysis needed required comparing the net benefits of sugarcane growing with the net benefits of conservation That is: if the benefit of sugarcane growing (Bs) exceeds the net benefit of conservation (Bc), in purely economic terms one could argue for degazettment. And the converse is also true. i.e. if B s > B c grow sugarcane; and if B c >B s, conserve The study was undertaken by independent consultants

9 Flash back on Mabira saga 1990: Forceful evictions in 1989/90 for purposes of conserving a critical forest ecosystem 2006: Mehta Group (SCOUL) requests for 7100 ha of Mabira forest for sugarcane growing NFA provides a technical report and advised government that the decision to degazzette parts of Mabira Central Forest Reserve be reconsidered Government appoints an inter-ministerial committee to advise on the Mabira Status and the committee advises against the giveaway of Mabira Forest to sugarcane growing 2007: General disapproval of the proposal by all sector of society (cultural leaders, religious leaders, local communities, policy makers, members of legislature, conservationist, etc) culminating into a spontaneous public demonstration

10 Government response 1) 2007: A 12-page Cabinet memo prepared by the Water and Environment Ministry dated April 10, 2007 recommends that government stays off the forest While addressing a commonwealth Finance Ministers meetings in Guyana, the Minister of Finance Dr. Suruma said We have committed ourselves to conserving Mabira Forest. There is other land in Uganda suitable for sugarcane growing. Hon.Maria Mutagamba, the MWE in an interview with Reuters said the government had finally rejected a request by Mehta Group to destroy a third of Mabira Forest and convert it to sugarcane: "The idea of sugar growing in Mabira is no longer there. We are looking for money for other land".

11 The Mabira Saga is resurrected December 2007: While addressing NRM parliamentary caucus HE the President stated "Mehta wants to expand his factory in Lugazi. He wanted some land in the under-utilised part of Mabira because there was no alternative land nearby and we could not shift the factory. Criminals and charlatans kicked up lies and even caused death of people in Kampala. We suppressed the thugs. This issue should be resolved,". The Mabira Saga was resurrected

12 2008: Cabinet recommends an aerial video recording of Mabira CFR and its general outlay be carried out and be used to educate MPs and the general public on the actual facts about the status of Mabira. The video is never shown. NFA maintained (to date) that there is no part of Mabira FR that is underutilized.

13 Mabira saga resurrected again in 2011 While addressing a meeting the NRM party members at State House Entebbe, HE The President says Uganda was suffering from low sugar supply due to lack of land for sugarcane growing. He said giving out part of the degraded parts of the Mabira Forest would restore the ecological imbalance caused by an apparent encroachment.

14 On 15 th August 2011, a government-organised trip to show journalists supposedly degraded parts of Mabira Forest Reserve backfired after the guides failed to find evidence of degradation in the lush tropical forest. The Monitor Tuesday August 16, 2011

15 Conclusion The Economic Evaluation report and the video documentary presented gives further evidence that; 1. SCOUL should stay clear and away from Mabira Forest Reserve 2. Government should decline to grant SCOUL its request for 7,100ha of Mabira Forest Reserve and any other such future requests 3. SCOUL and Mehta listen to the voices of the people of Uganda and how dearly they hold these forests, and withdraw from such corporate irresponsibility 4. Uganda is indeed gifted by nature and it cannot be those that are entrusted with the protection of this gift that will instead lead to its destruction.

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