On-farm tree planting and tree diversity in the Kigezi Highlands and Mabira Buffer Zones

Abstract

A study was conducted on 105 farms around Bwindi Impenetrable National Park (BINP), Mgahinga Gorilla National Park (MGNP), Echuya and Mabira forest reserves between February and June 2000 to assess on farm tree planting and tree diversity. Group discussions and interviews were used to collect information on the following: farming history and land tenure, method of land acquisition, agricultural crops grown, tree species planted and those growing naturally, uses of trees and constraints to tree planting. On-farm survey was conducted to collect information on land size, tree diversity and management and the proportion of land under tree cover. The average land holding is 4.04 ha around BINP, MGNP and Echuya forest reserve and 13.63 ha around Mabira forest reserve. Land is bought or inherited in fragmented form. Less than 10% of the farms are under tree cover and 71% of the trees planted around BINP, MGNP and Echuya forest reserve are indigenous, whilst 31% are indigenous around Mabira forest reserve. The average number of tree species per farm around BINP was 11.43, MGNP 7.06, Echuya forest reserve 6.93 and Mabira forest reserve 10.26. It is concluded that farmers are willing to plant trees on their farms but the constraints to tree planting are lack of planting stock, small land sizes, poor extension service and farmers* perception that agricultural crops cannot be integrated with trees on the same piece of land.