TREES FOR TOURISM: Uganda is known as the “Pearl of Africa”. In his book “My African Journey” Sir Winston Churchill in 1908, Christened Uganda as a “Pearl of Africa” because of its natural endowment and beauty. He went on to write, “For magnificence, for variety of form and color, for profusion of brilliant life — bird, insect, reptile, beast — for vast scale — Uganda is truly “the Pearl of Africa.

Pearl of Africa Vacations, in partnership with Visit EAC Safaris, Greening Uganda, Greening Forestry Services and Green Connect has launched a “Tree For Tourism” TFT environmental restoration and conservation program as one of Social Corporate Responsibility activities. Under the Tree For Tourism (TFT) program, Pearl of Africa will be working with its partners and communities to conserve and restore nature and involve local communities in tourism.

Under The Trees for Tourism (TFT) program, our most immediate action will be to engage in the restoration of degraded natural forest lands in Collaboration with National Forest Authority (NFA), the government agency mandated to conserve, manage and protect Gazzeted Natural Forests. In line with this dream on the 22nd of April on Earth Day, we planted 1000 trees of Mahogany and Musizi around Nyakafunjo Gate in Budongo Forest. In the same footsteps, on the 1st of June 2019, we donated and planted 5,000 trees in Rwengabi and Kasenene in Budongo Forest, tree species planted included Mahogany, Musizi, and Mvule. In a similar manner, we donated free tree seedlings to Budongo Forest Neighbouring Communities of Rwengabi, Toa Sati, Katanga, Kasene and Simba Communities, were given Avocado, Jackfruit, Grivellia Robusta, Mvule, and Mahogany species to improve their livelihoods and environmental health. The Trees For Tourism Program was launched by the reigning Miss Tourism Queen Bunyoro Region, Miss KUGANYIRA Ladisha in Toa Sati trading centre where she planted a Mahogany Tree.

As Pearl of Africa Vacations, together with our partners, we acknowledge and emphasise the importance of trees in the Tourism Industry, you cannot talk about Birding as a tourism activity without trees, you cannot talk about Chimp and Gorilla Tracking where there’s trees, you cannot talk about Tree Climbing Lions where there’s no trees, the list is endless, without forgetting rain formation, soil and water conservation. Budongo Forest alone is a catchment area for 4 rivers e.g. River Sonso, Waisoke, Bubwa and Waki. Hydromax Uganda LTD has constructed a 5MW Power station on River Waki in Buliisa District. All these rivers Drain in Lake Albert. That means if Budongo and Bugoma Forests were cut down, Lake Albert would dry up. Over the years, our natural forests have been degraded by settlers planting sugar cane, and turning them into farm lands, we cannot all sit down and watch, as climate change begins to become real at our door steps.