NATIONAL FORESTRY AUTHORITY A PAPER PRESENTED AT THE LOCAL GOVN’T BUDGET CONSULTATIVE WORKSHOPS FOR FY 2017/18 ON FORESTRY IN LINE WITH FORESTRY POLICY 2001 & NDP II BY M & E SPECIALIST NATIONAL FORESTRY AUTHORITY 12TH TO 30TH SEPTEMBER 2016

SUMMARY MANDATE OF NFA FUNCTIONS OF NFA NFA’S ROLE IN POLICY IMPLEMENTATION NATIONAL OBJECTIVES LAND COVER MONITORING CHALLENGES CONCLUSIONS RECOMMENDATIONS

MANDATE OF NFA NFA was created in 2003 under the National Forestry and Tree Planting Act (NFTPA); and became operational in 2004. NFA is mandated to operate within the framework of the National Forestry Policy (2001), Forest Plan (2002) and NFTPA NFA’s main role is management of the 506 CFRs which covers an area of 1.26 million ha.

FUNCTIONS OF NFA Develop and manage all CFRs; Promote innovative approaches for local community; private sector participation in the management of CFRs; Establish procedures for sustainable utilization of Uganda’s forest resources; Cooperate and coordinate with NEMA and other lead agencies.

National Objectives (NDP II) Increasing household incomes and promoting equity Enhancing the availability and quality of gainful employment (Middle income status) Promoting sustainable population and the use of environmental and natural resources Improving stock and quality of economic infrastructure

NDP II-SECTORAL KEY RESULTS, OBJECTIVES & INTERVENTIONS WEALTH CREATION AND EMPLOYMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT & NATURAL RESOURCES Increase the percentage of forest cover from 14% in FY 2012/13 to 18% in FY 2019/2020 This means restoration of about 1.8 million ha (1.6 million on private land, 200,000ha on PAs)

Governance issues: The Act The National Forestry and Tree Planting Act (2003) Encourages public participation in the management and conservation of forests and trees, Facilitates greater public awareness of the benefits of conserving and increasing forest cover, Promotes decentralisation and transfer of functions, powers and services from the centre to local governments.

The National Forestry and Tree Planting Act …..Contd Promotes governance and transparency in forestry Addresses issues of conservation, sustainable management and development of forests Aims at enhancing the productive capacity of forests Promotes the contribution of forestry to poverty eradication Promotes tree planting and growing

Why was the NFA created? Long-standing problems with the Forestry Department Stronger protection of the nation’s CFRs which are 50% of the Permanent Forest Estate 506 CFRs >1.2million Ha High economic value, needs strong business-like management: wood, employment, rural income & livelihoods 90% of domestic energy is from wood soil & water conservation, climate amelioration

NFA’S ROLE IN POLICY IMPLEMENTATION Protection and effective management all CFRs; Regulating the exploitation of the Natural Forests; Promoting CFM with Local Communities; Partnering/licensing Private Sector to plant trees on CFRs; Promoting and training the public in the best forestry practices; Enforcing the provisions of the NFTPA.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE 2001 FORESTRY POLICY Management and Expansion of the Forest Estate through tree planting: NFA planting, removal of encroachers to revert the land to tree planting…… Policy Statements 10 and 11. Livelihoods and Poverty: - CFM, patrol men, contracted services, training for private nursery operators, ecotourism. Policy Statements 11 and 10. Biodiversity and Environmental Services: efforts to sell carbon, the efforts to reduce illegal actions which impact on water, flora and fauna. Policy Statement 7 and 8. Partnerships in Governance: Sawmillers, tree planters, CFM, seed suppliers, patrols, boundary consultations with Local leaders. Policy Statement 3 & 5.

Forest Cover Loss from 1990 to 2015 2000 2005 2010 2015 Private 3,171,544 2,438,919 1,954,333 1,063,851 827,695 Protected Areas 1,374,804 1,346,249 1,266,213 1,132,780 1,128,969 Total 4,546,349 3,785,167 3,220,546 2,196,631 1,956,664 Cumulative Difference -761,182 -1,325,803 -2,349,718 -2,589,685

STAKEHOLDER/PARTNERSHIPS OPPORTUNITIES IN MANAGEMENT OF FORESTS Creation of Employment Opportunities for communities Increased forest resource base Tree-planting on at least 5% of the land on forests in their locality. Sustainable utilisation of non timber forest products. Non consumptive use of forests (ecotourism)

CONSERVATION CHALLENGES Illegal activities i.e. unathorised extraction of produce, farming in CFRs, use of power-saws etc. Increasing encroachment. Inadequate funds for NFA. Political misguidance of people. Hostile Communities.

Illegal Sand-mining, in CFRs.

Illegal Charcoal-burning in CFRs

Timber abandoned by Illegal Loggers in CFRs

CONCLUSION Encroachment and illegal harvesting are the main threats to effective management and conservation of forest resources. Deforestation has taken place inside protected areas, but most of it has taken place on private land (outside the protected areas).

RECOMMENDATIONS: (PROTECTED AREAS) LGs should support orderly evictions, starting with FRs of high ecology values. District leaders and Communities should back-up NFA and actively support forest conservation and tree-planting efforts in the country. LGs should support re-opening of boundaries of all FRs

RECOMMENDATIONS: (PRIVATE FORESTS) Need to strengthen the District Forest Services to function effectively; through staffing and funding Private natural forest owners deserve to be paid/compensated for protection and sustainable management efforts. Improve agricultural productivity on private land to reduce need to clear forests for new land for crops.

RECOMMENDATIONS (GENERAL) Encourage people to plant trees on private and public land – NFA is in a campaign to encourage tree-planting (Community Tree Planting Programme). NFA and District Forest Services need to work in close collaboration. Incitement of encroachers should be discouraged to enable NFA effectively stop destruction of forest reserves and restore them through tree-planting.

END Thank You