A tree planting drive along the paved Kigumba-Kyenjojo road meant to conserve the environment and enhance beauty has started.
It is being implemented under the Green Right of Way (GROW) programme which is funded by Uganda National Roads Authority (UNRA).
Under this partnership, Bunyoro Think Tank with support from UNRA and Bunyoro-Kitara Kingdom, will plant 40,000 trees along the 200 kilometres road reserve.
The programme which was launched on Saturday at Mparo Royal Tombs in Hoima City, follows months of engagements between Bunyoro Think Tank and UNRA.
The arrangement is that Bunyoro Think Tank will be mobilising communities to participate in growing and protecting trees along the said road.
Community members will participate in tree planting of indigenous tree species and get their own trees to plant at home to conserve the environment.
Over 3 million trees will be given to the community through their area leaders to plant.
This comes at a time Bunyoro sub-region is losing its forests due to oil and gas production, illegal logging, cultivation and sugarcane growing.
Philip Kihumuro the team leader said with a lot of concrete being put on roads, he hopes the greening of Bunyoro landscape will help fight the effects of environmental degradation.
He said the programme which is focusing on schools, churches, corporate organisations and mosques will go on until the whole road is lined with trees.
Simon Kwezi, the Mparo South LCI Chairperson said on the first day, a 5 kilometre stretch was planted starting from Mparo Royal Tombs to Kyakapeya cell in Hoima City.
He said trees offer several benefits including releasing oxygen people need to breathe, controlling storm water, and floods, and preventing climate change by removing carbon dioxide from the air.
Kihumuro said UNRA committed itself to maintaining the trees during their routine maintenance of right of way.
UNRA launched a national tree planting initiative (GROW) in 2017 to help mitigate climate change and adaptation.
