Kasana-Luweero Catholic Bishop Lawrence Mukasa has called for a radical shift from symbolic tree planting at functions to large-scale, targeted reforestation, warning that Uganda risks desertification if the current approach continues.
Speaking during Bethany Land Institute Day and the commissioning of environment caretakers at Nandere Hill in Nyimbwa Sub-county over the weekend, Bishop Mukasa said the long-held practice of guests planting a single tree at ceremonies adds very little to the national effort to restore the environment.
‘The monumental trees planted at functions add little to our cry to save mother earth, already destroyed by indiscriminate tree cutting in our respective areas,’ he told guests. ‘If we targeted supplying a tree seedling to each person that has attended our respective functions for planting in a particular area, a big impact will be realized.’
He said while the original idea behind monumental planting may have been noble, it has not kept pace with the scale of environmental destruction in the country.
Target devastated areas, not ceremonies
Bishop Mukasa urged government, local leaders and civil society to identify specific degraded areas and organize communities to plant trees collectively, with the goal of turning them green again.
‘We are also taken a step back by our planners including infrastructure developers that deliberately cut down trees without replacement,’ he said. ‘Almost on a daily basis, you find trees that have long existed cut down by workers attached to the Electricity companies among other developers. We should be better planners to save the environment.’
He rallied all stakeholders – government, developers, the Church and communities – to take responsibility as ‘environment actors’ rather than spectators.
Five years of restoration at Nandere Hill
For the past five years, Nandere Hill in Nandere Parish has been the center of Bethany Land Institute’s environmental campaign. The project focuses on rejuvenating lost vegetation and natural forest, and training community members as environment caretakers in ‘integral ecology’ practices.
Fr Emmanuel Katongole, President of Bethany Land Institute, said the Church got involved because environmental degradation is ultimately a human problem that requires formation and mentorship.
‘From mentoring environment caretakers that take charge of nature in their respective areas, we have engaged the community at Nandere in nature related campaigns. The results are fruitful,’ he said. ‘We have successfully rejuvenated a former natural forest land that had almost become extinct at Nandere. Integral ecology activities are active at Nandere and the community outreach programs.’
According to Fr Katongole, integral ecology treats people, society and nature as interconnected. That is why the institute has rolled out training in agro-forestry alongside conservation.
‘The poverty situation in our respective communities, social problems and the environment crisis are not standalone challenges but intertwined to make life complex if not handled as a whole,’ he explained. ‘This is the very reason why we are training farmers in agro-forestry practices. The community must live transformed lives after adapting to integral ecology practices.’
He said caretakers are now taking charge of tree nurseries, soil and water conservation, and community sensitization in their villages.
Government backs skills for income and environment
State Minister for Finance in charge of General Duties, Ms Cissy Mulondo, who attended the event, urged Luweero residents to embrace the Church-led skills to improve both livelihoods and the environment.
‘The Church through Kasana-Luweero Diocese and Bethany Land Institute are providing the skills that only protect the environment but introduce us to smart agriculture practices for improved yields,’ she said. ‘The skills that the commissioned nature caretakers are taking back home should positively impact on their respective communities.’
Ms Mulondo noted that climate change, low farm productivity and poverty are linked, and that agro-forestry can address all three by providing fruit, timber, fodder and soil fertility while sequestering carbon.
A call for collective action
Environment actors at the event agreed that Uganda cannot afford to continue with piecemeal approaches. They proposed that every major function – weddings, graduations, government launches – should include giving each attendee a seedling to plant in a designated area, rather than planting one tree at the venue.
Bishop Mukasa said the Church will continue to mobilize parishes to adopt the model. He argued that saving the environment is also a moral duty.
‘If we do not act now, our children will inherit bare hills and dry rivers. We must move from symbolism to action,’ he said.
Participants were later taken on a tour of the restored section of Nandere forest, where indigenous trees planted by community caretakers are now regenerating.
The day ended with the commissioning of 60 new environment caretakers from various parishes in Luweero District. They were equipped with basic tools and training manuals on nursery management, tree planting and agro-forestry.
Fr Katongole said Bethany Land Institute will expand the program to other sub-counties in the diocese, with the target of establishing at least one model ‘green village’ in each parish by 2027.