EX SITU CONSERVATION OF RARE TREES IN UGANDA

As part of the Global Trees Campaign, BGCI worked with the Tooro Botanical Gardens to protect and restore endemic trees of the local forests and address livelihood needs of the local communities.

FURTHER INFORMATION

The Kibale Forest National Park, near to the Tooro Botanical Gardens, has around 350 tree species, many of which are extremely rare, along with thirteen different primate species. The Curator of the botanic garden is documenting the trees of the National Park and bringing species into cultivation within the garden as an ex situ conservation mechanism.

Over 60 local threatened species have been established in the Garden’s arboretum. A manual has been produced showing how to propagate a range of locally valued trees many of which are used for medicine. The intention is for the Arboretum as it develops to supply trees for home gardens and forest restoration. At the same time the Garden has demonstrated the cultivation of dye, food and medicinal plants for subsistence use and trade to take the pressure off the local forest resources. The dyes are used in basket production – the main type of handicraft in Uganda.

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