REDD+ refers to “Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation in developing countries (including Uganda).
Uganda has embraced REDD+ programmes in a bid to address deforestation. Deforestation is mainly due to agricultural/subsistence farms (maize, cassava, sorghum cotton, tobacco and other crops), ranches, or urban use (settlement).
Secondly, Uganda wishes to addresses forest degradation in order to improve the structure and function of forests to provide goods and services such as wood, food, habitat, water, non timber forest products, carbon storage and other protective socio-economic and cultural values that are currently on the decline.
Some of the causes of forest degradation include fire, storm, drought, pest, disease or human activities such as charcoal burning, excessive logging, excessive fuel wood collection, shifting cultivation, hunting and overgrazing among others.
REDD+ activities will improve carbon stocks/sink stored in Uganda’s forest and will also enhance removals of of greenhouse gases (specifically carbon dioxide) from the atmosphere which can be through various forest management options, such as replanting degraded or deforested areas or enrichment planting, agro-forestry practices but also by letting forest land regenerate naturally. For the carbon stock accumulated, Uganda will receive incentives for managing forests and to maintain a wide range of values such as Biodiversity, Water supply, Soil protection and wealth creation for improved Livelihoods.
Tree Talk Plus has supported the development of communication materials for the REDD+ process in Uganda.