The NFA’s core mandate is to manage Central Forest Reserves (CFRs) and provide high-quality forestry products to both the public and private sectors. In addition to this general role, Section 54 of the National Forestry and Tree Planting Act, 2003 outlines the NFA’s specific functions.
Yes, the NFA charges for technical advisory services. While basic advice is offered free of charge to farmers within CFRs, more detailed services—such as creating management plans, establishing nurseries, conducting silvicultural operations, and providing financial analysis and projections—are available for a reasonable fee. These services are managed by the Private Forestry Promotion Unit, which supports the NFA’s mandate of supplying high-quality forestry products and services to both the public and private sectors.
Tree harvesting should be carried out according to a management plan that ensures the sustainability of forestry resources. It is advisable to inform the nearest forestry office before cutting any trees. This policy helps prevent the illegal theft of trees from private plantations or CFRs under the guise of personal harvesting.
Under the National Forestry and Tree Planting Act of 2003, the NFA is responsible for managing CFRs. In contrast, District Forestry Services are tasked with managing local government forests, community forests, and forests on private land within their respective jurisdictions. The Forestry Inspection Division, now known as the Forestry Sector Support Department (FSSD), offers support to both the NFA and District Forestry Services.
One of the NFA’s key objectives is to achieve financial self-sustainability. To generate revenue, the NFA provides a range of services and products, including ecotourism, forestry and environmental consulting, and modern cartography and mapping. The NFA also sells products like seeds, seedlings, roundwood, and sawn timber. Additionally, it offers technical services to private plantation developers, including forestry business plans, marketing strategies, and forestry management plans.
The NFA is a semi-autonomous entity that operates with a business-like approach and has the legal capacity to sue or be sued. It is governed by a Board of Directors who report to the Minister of Water and Environment. The NFA aims to be financially self-sustaining by generating revenue from the forest resources it manages.
In contrast, the now-defunct Forest Department was a government department directly under the Ministry, fully funded by the government.
While the NFA is responsible for managing CFRs, it can assist local governments in managing Local Forest Reserves (LFRs) through a fee-based arrangement. This assistance can include services such as mapping, seedling provision, and technical support.
There are currently 506 CFRs in Uganda, located across various regions of the country. These reserves account for approximately 15% of Uganda’s total forest cover, with the remaining 85% owned by local governments, private individuals, and institutions.
Forest Reserves serve several important purposes, including water catchment protection, preserving biodiversity, and providing timber and non-timber forest products. Forests also help combat climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide and contribute to tourism, boosting national revenue.
The forest reserves were established to represent a significant portion of the country’s landscape. During colonial times, the government negotiated with various kingdoms to designate parts of their land as forest reserves. For example, Buganda offered 8% of its land. This contributed to the present-day forest cover in Uganda.
A Forest Reserve is a designated area of land, reserved by Act of Parliament, for developing forests or tree-growing activities. It can either be a forested area or an open land designated for future forest development.
A Forest is an area covered predominantly by trees, forming an ecosystem in balance with the surrounding environment.
The primary issue lies with the law itself, which limits the NFA’s mandate to managing only CFRs—areas that cover a relatively small portion of Uganda’s total forest area. The bulk of forest loss occurs on private lands and local government forests, which are beyond the NFA’s jurisdiction.
Yes, forests play a crucial role in mitigating climate change by absorbing carbon dioxide as they grow. About half of the dry weight of wood is carbon, which is stored in the tree’s tissues. When forests are cut, the carbon stored in the trees is released, contributing to global warming.
Yes, some areas of land within CFRs may be grasslands or woodlands. These are often designated for environmental protection, water catchment, or biodiversity conservation, and may also be used for non-timber forest products and services such as ecotourism. Not all CFRs are densely forested, and some may be in the process of reforestation.
The NFA is working to demarcate riverbanks as required by environmental statutes. For lakeshores, a 200-meter strip of natural vegetation is left intact. Where vegetation has been removed, indigenous species are being replanted. For larger rivers, a 100-meter buffer zone is maintained, and for smaller ones, a 50-meter zone is recommended.
While trees take time to mature (some species up to 20 years), they are still a valuable investment for the following reasons:
Planting trees contributes to environmental sustainability and is personally fulfilling, much like owning livestock.
Trees offer high returns on investment (over 14% in Uganda).
They provide social security benefits, such as supporting education or retirement needs.
Once established, they require minimal investment but yield high returns.
Yes, additional land can be allocated if available, and the applicant has demonstrated progress in tree planting. However, if there are many qualified applicants, the allocation process is competitive and fair.
This depends on the assessment by NFA field staff. If you have a good track record of responsible land use and have not engaged in illegal activities (such as grazing or farming) in the CFR, you may be allowed to plant close to the boundary. However, if there are concerns about misuse of the land, the NFA may suggest an alternative location.
You can visit the NFA’s head office or any regional field office, where a wide range of resources about tree species and their suitability for specific areas are available
It is recommended to plant trees a distance equal to the mature height of the species being planted, ensuring that even during harvesting, the trees fall within your own land.
Replanting is a complex and costly process. The NFA may delay planting to allow for natural processes, such as letting stumps decay before replanting. Additionally, the NFA requires sufficient resources—such as funds, manpower, and equipment—before initiating replanting.
Transferring land allocated for tree planting is not allowed. However, you may cancel your license and transfer your planted trees to another party, provided the new party agrees to the same conditions.
The NFA is working to prevent encroachment and degradation in CFRs. It is also encouraging private investment in afforestation by offering land at minimal fees and promoting tree planting nationwide. NFA provides quality tree seeds and seedlings at affordable prices and offers technical support for nursery and plantation management.
The permit fee acts as a regulatory mechanism to prevent individuals from under-pricing their competitors in the market. If the harvested timber is for personal use, no fee is necessary.
The National Forestry and Tree Planting Act No. 8, 2003, prohibits activities on land reserved as Central Forest Reserves (CFRs) without authorization from the National Forestry Authority (NFA). If prohibited activities, such as illegal pit sawing or charcoal burning, are detected, the timber or charcoal is impounded, and other legal actions are taken. These measures include fining the owners of vehicles or vessels caught transporting illegal forest produce, as well as prosecuting individuals in court. Illegal settlers on forest land are evicted and may also face legal action.
Unless specified by the Minister, any tree that is not located in a CFR is regulated by the District Forest Officer (DFO) or another person authorized by the Minister. In the case of the NFA, its Law Enforcement Unit is responsible. On request, the NFA also offers advisory services to private tree-planters on sustainable forestry practices. However, permission is not typically required before cutting trees, unless specified otherwise.
In 2004, the NFA’s line minister, responsible for Water, Lands, and Environment, issued a statutory instrument declaring chainsaw use as contraband. This decision was widely publicized in the press, and it remains the legal basis for the NFA’s interventions today. The details of this instrument are available in the NFA library, which is open to the public.
If anyone claims to be using a chainsaw on behalf of the NFA, they must present official authorization from the NFA. Otherwise, the NFA does not use chainsaws for timber conversion. The NFA upholds high standards and operates by example.
Yes, only the Minister for Water and Environment has the exclusive discretion to grant permission for chainsaw use. Any individual seeking clearance must provide valid reasons for their request.
The Tree Planting License grants you the authority to prevent such activities. Section 32 of the National Forestry and Tree Planting Act requires that all activities in a CFR must be licensed and comply with the Forest Management Plan. Any unauthorized activities, including grazing or crop cultivation, are illegal. Offenders should be prosecuted, and in volatile situations, the NFA’s field staff and law enforcement can assist. Allowing illegal activities on your plot may lead to the cancellation of your license. It is important to protect your land from encroachers. Fencing off forest land can be permitted in exceptional circumstances with prior approval from the NFA’s Executive Director.
Proper land-use planning and conservation practices dictate that CFRs should not be used for purposes other than conservation or non-destructive ventures like tourism and beekeeping. Forest land is typically not fertile for crops, as most nutrients are absorbed by the trees. Moreover, trees have long-term environmental benefits, such as mitigating climate change, that crops cannot replicate.
CFRs are held in trust for the people of Uganda by the government through the NFA. They are public resources meant to be accessible to all Ugandans. The National Forestry and Tree Planting Act (Section 5, 2003) empowers individuals and organizations to take legal action against those whose actions threaten the forests. Protection of CFRs is a collective responsibility, and fencing alone would not effectively prevent encroachment. The NFA employs other, more efficient means of forest protection, considering both the costs of fencing and its limited ability to stop illegal activities entirely.
Yes, you can purchase the timber by participating in an auction when it is held.
The law requires that timber auctions be conducted by registered auctioneers, which can be expensive to organize in upcountry districts. Additionally, markets in rural areas may not be able to purchase the timber at the same price as the timber market in Kampala.
Uganda has 506 Central Forest Reserves (CFRs) distributed across the country.
Uganda’s total forest area is approximately 1,265,741 hectares, with a significant portion managed by the NFA.
Timber:
Pine: 1,100 seedlings (spacing of 3×3 meters)
Eucalyptus: 1,100 seedlings (spacing of 3×3 meters)
Musizi: 625 seedlings
Poles (Eucalyptus): 1,600 seedlings (spacing of 2.5×2.5 meters).
Maesopsis: 900 seedlings
Eucalyptus: 100,000 seedlings
Pine: 30,000 seedlings
The cost ranges from 1.7 million to 2.1 million UGX.
Poles (Eucalyptus): 1.5 million UGX
Timber (Eucalyptus): 23 million UGX
Timber (Pine): 19.5 million UGX
Eucalyptus:
Construction Poles: 2-4 years
Transmission Poles: 11-13 years
Timber: 15 years
Pine Timber: 20 years
Approximately 28 million tonnes of biomass are used to produce energy.