Last November, our colleagues Rutger, Niels, and Robyn travelled to northern Uganda to conduct a carbon baseline assessment. The assessment took place in four forest reserves near Gulu, designated for forest restoration under the new Green Environ Forestry (GEF) carbon ARR project. This involved randomly selecting locations across the diverse vegetation types within the reserves, ranging from grasslands to lightly degraded forests. At each site, they measured tree basal area, tree height, and recorded various site characteristics. The collected data provides a clear picture of the current biomass and the restoration potential that the project can achieve.
Form International plays a key role in preparing this project, ensuring its sustainability. By including a plantation component designed to generate future sustainable income, the project aims to support the restoration and long-term protection of the majority of the area as a natural forest ecosystem.
The work was physically demanding, requiring extensive hiking through dense vegetation and climbing steep hills, all under the intense African sun. Local forestry authorities and security personnel accompanied the team due to occasional encroachment within the reserves. Despite these challenges, the team’s presence and engagement with local encroachers proved valuable. Their explanations were met with curiosity and kindness, sparking hope that many locals are willing to join or in other ways support the project in the future. Beyond restoring forests, the initiative also aims to enhance the livelihoods of present communities.
Aside from the usual challenges of navigating thick vegetation and enduring intense heat, the terrain tested even the usually dependable Land Cruiser. At one point, the vehicle became stuck in a deep mud pool, requiring the driver to dig and even take a swim. Fortunately, the team had nearby plots that needed biomass measurements, sparing them a mud bath.
A few days later, the vehicle’s wheel broke, leaving the driver stranded overnight in the bush while the team squeezed into an overloaded van for the journey back. On another occasion, the car collided with a hidden tree stump, necessitating more digging and some inventive axe work to resolve the issue and get moving again. Never a dull moment!