Project 11: Tree-planting & Conservation

Introduction

The fundamental aim of SGG is to contribute to the eradication of global poverty and hunger, which is Millennium Development Goal No 1. When SGG was established in 2005 it was not our intention to focus on tree-planting or conservation. However, five years of field experience within the East African environment has taught us that tree-planting is one of the most effective ways of achieving those fundamental aims. Thus, it is not surprising that, with the exception of Projects 1 and 5 which were completed in 2009, all SGG projects now have a significant tree-planting component.

Inside Kakamega Forest

This is inside the Kakamega Forest - one of the most important forests for biodiversity in Kenya. Yet large tracts of land inside the forest have suffered from logging, encroachment by agricultural settlers, neighbouring famers using the land as rough grazing land, replacement of original forest by commercially valuable, exotic species such as eucalyptus. The original forest will disappear within 2 decades unless major tree conservation work is undertaken.

It is perhaps difficult for Europeans and people from other temperate climates to appreciate the importance of trees within the East African context. In Northern Europe in particular agricultural crops need sunlight and warmth, so it was necessary in centuries past to clear woodland so that farming could flourish. In East Africa nature shows a different face. Rainfall usually comes occasionally but in heavy thunderstorms, so that exposed soil is washed away. During long seasonal drought sunbaked soil without vegetation cover is vulnerable to wind erosion. Trees are needed to reduce the danger of the environmental degradation, loss of soil fertility, and harvest failure. Better soil and soil moisture retention, both needed for good harvests, are only two of the advantages of planting trees on farmland in the Tropics. Other benefits for the farmer include:

  • Home source for domestic energy. It should be remembered that in most of rural East Africa fuelwood and charcoal account for over 95% of home energy. As trees become more scarce, energy needs become an increasingly large part of the budget in poor households. In contrast, the farmer who practises agroforestry or has a small woodlot has a valuable source of income. Some households in Project 2 have used trees as a source of income to pay the rising costs of education;
  • Trees are often an important source of food. Partners in Busia have found the planting of bananas, avocado, and mango not only a useful source of income but also a good aid to child nutrition;
  • Trees provide shade & a comfortable habitat not only to humans around their homes but also to young plants which can be so easily scorched by the sun;
  • Timber is the major material for construction, furniture, and other domestic uses, so tree-planting is a good income-generation activity;
  • Original tropical forest is a valuable resource of future biogenetic resources as well as an attractive tourist destination
Walking in the Mazumbai Forest in Western Usambaras

Walking in the Mazumbai Forest in Western Usambaras, an excellent attraction for ecotourists.

The Eastern Usambaras near Amani

The Eastern Usambaras near Amani where the forest is being encroached by farmers despite the global importance of this biogenetic treasurehouse.

Although there is an increasing appreciation of the significance of trees for the sustainable land use management within the East African environment, evidence of forest destruction and damaged environment can be found almost everywhere with human habitation. Such evidence includes:

  • Widespread water-caused soil erosion, which produces a landscape crossed by deep gullies [or ‘dongas’], which are normally dry but contain raging floodwaters for a few days a year, as in the lower Rombo District, in North-East Tanzania;
  • Farmland where tree roots are exposed following wind erosion;
  • Scenery which contains a few tall trees, 10-20m tall, but where 90+% of this original vegetation has been removed;
  • Areas important for charcoal burning (e.g. along the Mombo-Korogwe road in North-East Tanzania)
  • Large tracts of designated forest now standing as bush and rough grazing (e.g. Kakamega Forest in Kenya).

So widespread is the evidence of environmental damage that many Kenyan and Tanzanians are now deeply concerned with tree-planting and tree conservation, and SGG wishes to support those efforts.

5 metre deep dongas

5 metre deep dongas where soil erosion has followed clearance of the natural woodland so that farming can take place in Rombo District, Kilimanjaro Region.

Aims

The aim of this project is simply to plant as many trees with our partners in Africa as we can manage. Each year SGG will set a target for tree-planting in that year. In this financial year that target is 40,000 young seedlings to be planted before 31/3/2012. As this programme has started only in 2011, we are at present inviting all our current partners if they wish to participate. Such participation requires African partners to take on the tasks of seedling production, transplanting & care of each young tree for the first two years. SGG will focus on fundraising on a basis of “20p for each planted tree”, so the anticipated costs of the 2011-2012 programme is £8,000.

Progress

At the time of writing, August 2011, SGG has made a series of agreements with partner community groups e.g.

  • Sindu Siri Khusiao in Busia District, Kenya have agreed to plant 3,000 trees in order to improve ground damaged by quarrying,
  • Bumala Trust will plant 5,000 on the hills near Bumala, Kenya,
  • Siguli Orphanage will plant up to 4,000 seedlings in a programme designed to provide support for 200 orphans & vulnerable children,
  • John Harrison has set a target of 10,000 trees to be planted in the 21 villages in Western Malawi where he is managing a child-focussed development programme.

At the present SGG is waiting for responses from other partners before a final decision on where to invest this financial year’s funds. In the meanwhile, any group interested in tree-planting within the countries where SGG is operational (ie. Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Zambia, Malawi and South Africa) is invited to make contact with SGG to discuss plans for tree-planting and conservation.