Forestry And Conservation (Fort Portal City)

Natural Resources Defense Initiatives (NRDI) alongside its partners have emphasized
Forestry and conservation in Fort portal City in a bid to promote biodiversity conservation.
Fort Portal City is near key ecosystems such as Kibale National Park, which is a home to
chimpanzees and diverse wildlife and so, conservation helps protect these species.
Additionally, Forests help regulate temperature, prevent droughts, and maintain rainfall
patterns which are essential for agriculture.
Forests around Fort Portal protect important water sources, including those feeding River
Mpanga, a key water supply for the city a reason why NRDI prides in emphasizing
conservation in the City.
According to NRDI’s Executive Director Edgar Muganza, Forestry conservation also has an
economic aspect. He says Fort Portal is a major tourist hub due to its proximity to Kibale
National Park, Semuliki National Park, and several crater lakes and these beautiful sceneries
promote tourism which boosts the economic aspect in the region.
He adds that sustainable forestry provides timber, firewood, medicinal plants, and honey,
supporting local livelihoods.
“Forests prevent soil erosion, enrich soil nutrients, and ensure sustainable farming, which is
a major activity in the region, trees absorb carbon dioxide and pollutants, improving air
quality in the city, a reason why it is important to conserve and protect forests I the region,”
he explains.