Gwassi/Gembe Hills Reforestation Programme

The environmental impact assessment of the project was carried out, submitted to National Environmental Monitoring Agency (NEMA) and has so far been approved. OSIENALA has subsequently signed the relevant contract documents with the key partners in the project (ACT and ICS). The project has commenced with a survey and evaluation of all existing tree nurseries within the project area (Gwassi and central divisions of Suba district) scheduled for the last week of March 2008 and sensitization meetings scheduled for early April. The targeted tree nurseries, in the survey and evaluation, are those currently in operation and managed by Community Based Organizations (CBOs), women groups, youth groups, schools, government departments and individuals. The identified tree nurseries will be upgraded and incorporate into the project. Two field officers stationed at the Magunga office have so far managed to register 25 potential farmers having a total of 232 acres of land to participate in the community tree-farming scheme. The registration is still on going and the individual farmers are expected to contribute a total of 100,000 acres of land towards the social tree farming scheme.