In Uganda, refugees’ need for wood ravaged the forest. Now, they work to restore it

By RODNEY MUHUMUZA
Associated Press

NAKIVALE, Uganda (AP) — Refugees from Uganda’s neighboring countries have long been welcomed to the Nakivale settlement near its southern border with Tanzania. But those thousands of newcomers have taken a toll on once forested lands by steadily cutting down trees to serve as cooking fuel. Deforestation is a national issue in Uganda, where most people use firewood for cooking, trees are often cut to make charcoal for export and some forests fall to illegal logging. Enock Twagirayesu fled to Uganda from Burundi with his family more than a decade ago. He realized something had to be done a few years ago when he saw women scavenging for roots to burn. Twagirayesu is among refugees helping to plant thousands of seedlings in hopes of reforesting the area.