Ugandan Villagers Plant Trees to Protect Gorilla Habitat

Communities in the vicinity of Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park are planting trees to reduce pressure on the forest habitat of the area’s mountain gorillas. The park, a UNESCO World Heritage site, is home to about 450 mountain gorillas, which is nearly half of the world’s remaining population. While conservation efforts have benefited from tourism, generating income for communities and providing incentives to protect wildlife, many people still engage in deforestation in their search for firewood, medicine, and craft materials. This endangers the gorillas’ habitat. To put a stop to this, the Uganda Wildlife Authority plans to provide communities with seedlings of medicinal trees so people can access these resources outside the park. Local organizations are also working with residents and schools to expand tree planting and promote conservation.