More seeds for woodlotsVol. 3 No.1 March 2004

With this Tree Talk,15,500 schools willreceive free eucalyptusseeds.

Other readers arewelcome to buy seedfrom the National TreeSeed Centre, PO Box23889, Kampala: Tel:286049

Did you know that Uganda does not haveenough eucalyptus for electricity poles? It is

true! Yet in eight years on one hectare you cangrow 1000 good poles. This will earn you 35

million! Start today.

More seeds for woodlots

One year ago, TreeTalk sent eucalyptusseeds to 13,000primary schools and2,500 secondaryschools. Many of youhave started growinggood woodlots. That'sgreat because TreeTalk has discovered

Good things happento Tree Talkers!On 11 December 2003, Tree Talk and aTree Talk reader were honoured to win theElly Tibakanya Award.

This prize is given out every two years bythe Wildlife Clubs of Uganda to people andgroups that help the environment.The Wildlife Clubs of Uganda is awonderful organisation. Do you have awildlife club in your school?

It is easy to get one. Just write toWildlife Clubs, PO Box 4596,Kampala. Tel: 041-222229.

You will receive a free copy of the WIldlifenewletter every term. The organisationalso visits school.

To be a good wildlifer, you need to planttrees, help animals and clean theenvironment.

Tree Talk wins Uganda Wildlife Club prizes Teachersto win forestry

training in2004!

This is terrible.We are spending200,000/= a term

on firewood.

Don't worry,headteacher. Tree Talkhas come with seed. We

can grow a woodlot.That's right. Wehave to cook amidday meal.

that most schools arespending a lot of moneyon buying wood!

Our research shows that schools arespending a lot each term on firewood:North 178,000/=, East 220,000/=,Central 315,000/=, West 220,000/=,SWest 170,000 /=, West Nile 130,000/=and Karamoja 220,000/=.Firewood is a very big expense for

schools. UPE does not cater for fuelwood.Yet pupils, students and teachers musteat.

Enclosing eucalyptus seedsBut do not worry. The same researchshowed that most schools have betweentwo and five hectares and are veryinterested in growing woodlots.Even better: with this issue of Tree Talk,we enclose more eucalyptus seed. This isa second chance to start a woodlot!

National competitionTree Talk will have a national

competition for the best school woodlot

in 2004 so start now.

T-shirt winnersMeanwhile 25 teachers win T-shirts nowfor the good letters you sent Tree Talkabout the woodlots you started in 2003.See page 4 for the list of winners.

Tree Talk, Forestry Department andEuropean Union are proud to behosting 30 primary and secondaryteachers to a three day training atNyabyeya Forestry College in Masindifrom 5 to 8 April.Chosen from 30 districts, theseteachers had shown greatseriousness about treegrowing.There will be anothertraining later in 2004.So start your woodlot!You could also win atraining and learn newskills! Write to us atTree Talk, PO Box22366, Kampala.

Tree Talk won in the categoryfor NGOs. G Kiyingi, S Walaitaand C Watson accept the prizeon behalf of Tree Talk.

Kiyingi works for the ForestryInspection Division. Walaita isa forester who works for theNational Tree Seed Centre.

Watson edits Tree Talk atStraight Talk Foundation. Theyall love trees!

Jane Biira, of Bulighisa PS,Kasese, holds her prize withteacher Bwambale at theceremony at Sheraton Hotel.

Jane also won cash and visitedthe Uganda Wildlife EducationCentre. Jane has planted over20 trees and likes writing toTree Talk.

Tree Talk, March 20042

A jackfruittree by EAhurra,S4, RenaAcademySSSHoima

My favourite tree is the jack fruit. Its fruitsare sweet. I sell some for money. BBashir, Bweyale, Masindi

My favourite tree is the Barkcloth tree. Itshades the coffee plants and providescloth for burial. Its name in Alur is bongu.P Okwonga, P7, Kyamulalama PS,Kiboga

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Arua S Draku, Adum SS;C Kenyi, Teacher, Kaligo P/School

Bugiri R Osike, Alliance Victory

Busia A Ouma

Iganga H Kintu, Bubogo ComprehensiveSecondary School

Kabale D Bazarirehi, Ndeego Primary SKaliro J Onyango, Kaliro College SSKampala S Tiko, P7, Juniors Primary Sch.

Kamuli T Nabirye, H Mulumba, pupils,Kayembe Primary School;C Isaabo, Kiyunga Primary Sch.

Kasese L Kamurali, P7, KanyabusoghaPrimary School;S Nyakahamba Bulighisa PS;M Mwesige; S Muranga,Teacher, St John’s Maliba PrimarySchool

Kibaale J Seruyange, S4, Kagadi PeoplesSecondary School

Kiboga A Mundua, Kyamulalama PS

Kisoro V Ngirabakunzi, P7, Sooko PsKoboko H Anguto, Dranya Primary School

Kyenjojo J Kato, Kyenjojo Primary SchoolKumi S Etomet, Kodukul Primary Sch.

Masindi S Achuka, Camron Drug Shop,F Santoline, All-Nations DrugShop;B Bashir, Bweyale Primary School

Mbale H Werishe, NyondoDemonstration School

Mubende I Okodel, Kisaana Islamic PSNtungamo JB Ahaisibwe, Headmaster,

Ngomba II Primary School

Rukungiri E Byarugaba, Teacher,Garubunda Primary School

Soroti J Omurwok, Teacher, MaderaBoys Primary School, S Adongu

Tororo B Orisa, Orago Primary School

Other

winnersMy favourite treeMy favourite tree

A moringatree by G

Wamani

In November Tree Talk had a quiz.We asked you: What is yourfavourite tree? Fifty clever TreeTalkers won the T-shirt prize.Here are your drawings andreasons for liking the tree. Welldone! Your best trees are:

•Mango • Mulingati • Mulberry(Enshaari in Runyankole) • Sesbania• Moringa • Neem • Avocado• Jack fruit • Eucalyptus • Pawpaw• Orange tree • Kabaka anjagala• Lusambya • Musisyo • Coffee tree• Teak • Omusyola • Musizi • Guava• Bark cloth tree •Mahogany

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Seeds and leaves of thebark cloth tree

A neem treeby J Kibirige

If your name appears here as an artist, letter writer or on the list to the

right, you are a winner. We will send your T-shirt to your postal address.

I like the tree enshaari (mulberry). Weenjoy eating its fruits. They grow in

bundles. A Ayorekire, P7, NganwaJunior School, Kabwohe,

Bushenyi

I love the mulingati. It has verygood shade and can accommodate

150 people. Small fruits act as localglue. It is beautiful and has short

roots so it can be planted near thehouse. W Bahati, teacher, RwimiPrimary School, Fort Portal

There is a tree near my home. I like it verymuch. Other people like it too. It is calledSesbania or omunyeganyegye. Bees getnectar from the flowers and in turn we gethoney. The roots fix nitrogen.The tree stops soil erosion. Sheep andgoats enjoy the leaves as food.D Bazarirehi, Ndeego PS, Kabale

I like the Neem tree because it is beautifuland gives me many things. It treatsmalaria and syphilis. J Kibirige, P7,Mbalye RC PS, Nakasongola

I like the avocado tree. Its fruits giveincome. Its branches give fuel. Its leavesare medicine that cures cough.M Uwimana, P7, Gisozi PS, Kisoro

My treasured tree is kabaka anjagala. Itsseeds are like gnuts and give wonderful oil.It is simple to grow, easing work to itsmaster. JM Bisanga, Kiregesa School,Kyenjojo

There is a tree that I love with all my heart.It is called omusisyo. It controls wind andsoil erosion and gives timber and medicinefor flu and stomach pain. Its flowers aredecorations for weddings. Animals feed onits leaves. N Musiime, teacher,Nyamugasani PS, Kasese

I like the coffee tree. It is a source ofincome and a good tree by appearance. ANansambu, P6, Joy and JullyKindergarten

FLowers of the lusambyatreeI love the lusambya. It encouragesagroforestry. Its' leaves give manure. Itgrows straight so that cover crops receiveenough sunshine. It is good forconstruction. We use its leaves forcovering potatoes, cassava and yamswhen cooking. They are not poisonouslike buveras. A Icumas, teacher,Madera Boys Boarding PS, Soroti

I love moringa because it gives usmedicine, cooking oil. You can get healthywhen you get its leaves. G Wamani,Businsii East, Hoima

My favourite tree is a musizi. It grows fastand is helping our banana garden. I amgoing to plant five more for fees foruniversity. J Peninah, P4, NabumaliBoarding PS, Mbale

My best tree is eucalyptus. It offersbeauty, goodness, medicine and timber.HS Werishe, Nyondo Dem School,Mbale

I like the mango. Its fruits pay for school fees.Scientifically it repairs the ozone layer. Local

leaders chair meetings under it. It is a classroomwhen classrooms are not enough. P Rwendeira,

teacher, Kyampagi PS, Kyotera

I love our mango. It has been there for over 30 years.Even my father and mother do not know who planted it.

The bark and leaves are medicine. The fruits are rich inVitamin C. The tree is home to butterflies and

grasshoppers. At night interesting sounds fromthe tree encourage us to stay outside evenlonger. H Ntambula, Trinity College -Buwagi, Jinja

A mangotree by YMurungi,S3, KagadiPeoples 'SS, Kibaale

My favourite tree is teak. It is a very fastgrowing timber. Its leaves rot easily toform manure. The roots resist termitedestruction which used to be serious onour eucalyptus trees. R Abiribo, BilijiaPS, Yumbe

I like the orange tree. It bears fruitscontinuously. I sell them to help thefamily. It prevents the wind from blowingoff our huts. N Okoboi, Pallisa ComplexProject SS

Eucalyptusby HSWerishe

A musizitree byPeninah

A teaktree byAbiribo

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Tree Talk, March 20043

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Learn about forestsWhat is a forest?Forests appear to be a collection of veryhuge plants growing on their own. Thevery big plants are trees.But is that all forests are? A collection oftrees?No, the truth is that forests arecomplicated and wonderfulecosystems.

You may wonder howyou can plant aforest, more so whenyou look at very bigforests like Budongo.

But the answer is very simple. You can!Every forest started with just a fewplants. Then more plants started comingin a process called colonization.

Then there is a process calledsuccession. This is when bare ground isfirst covered by herbs, then grass, thenshrubs and finally by trees.

How can I plant a forest?

They are full of many animals and smalland big plants all interacting together.

Did you know that the seeds of sometrees cannot germinate unless they arefirst eaten by a bird or bat?

Can you guess what will happen if thatbird or bat becomes very scarce?The answer is that the tree will have

difficulty in germinating and willbecome rare and may be anextinct soon start to die out.

So everything in the forestdepends on everything else.That is why forests aredelicate, and we have to becareful about disturbingthem.

If we cut one tree from aforest, we create a gap in theforest canopy. This lets in thesun and is a greatopportunity for plants togrow and occupy a newspace in the forest.

When you walk through theforest you see many small

seedlings waiting for such anopportunity to grow.

But if we create a big gap in theforest by cutting down manytrees, there will be problems.

Succession usually takes about 100 years.That is too long for us to wait.

So we can make the process faster bygrowing trees.

We can plant them in the form of woodlotsin our schools or homes. We can also tellour communities about this great idea.Cutting down forests/trees withoutplanting new ones is dangerous.

Where can we get tree seeds for planting?Well, Tree Talk sends to your school.You can also collect your own seeds fromgood and mature trees around your

school or home. This costs nothing andyou get to plant trees that you like that areadapted to your environment where youfound them.

What about the problem oftermites?

Yes, termites are a big problem. In manyareas they destroy the eucalytpus which isa very useful tree.

The big gap will change the micro-climate inthe forest. The climate in the forest canbecome too hot or too dry. So it will bemuch harder for those young seedlings toreplace the old trees.

That is why people cutting trees in theforest should be careful about the size ofthe gap that they make. They should try tokeep the gap as small as possible.

Most of us live near forests and get benefitsfrom them. We can create forests as well asdestroy them.

We have two types offorests.1. Natural forests like Budongo and Mabira.2. Artificial forests such as eucalyptus and pine plantations and school woodlots.

Life is not simple in an environmentwithout forests. We can protect naturalforests by planting artificial forests.

The articles and pictures on this page wereadapted from Environmental Education inUganda's Tropical Forests: A guide forprimary school teachers, published by EUand Forest Department.

Bwindi forest is a home to the moun-

tain gorrillas and provides water to

thousands of communities around it

Can you trace and labelthis drawing? Who andwhat are living in for thistree. Send answers to TreeTalk and win a copy ofEnvironmental Educationin Uganda's TropicalForests for your school!

Succession

Quiz!

grass sh

rubs

colonis

ing

fore

st

mature forest

Emergent layer

Canopy

layer

Under

story

layer

Herblayer

Tropicalrainforest

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year one 100 years

If you have a problem with termitesdestroying your eucalytpus, look fortrees that the termites do not like to eat.

Many good African trees are resistant totermites, including mvule, lusambya,mahogany, teak and tamarind. You cangrow those instead.

Tree Talk, March 20044

Forestry Inspection Division,Baumann Hse, Parliament Avenue,KampalaTel: 340684/250311 Fax: 340683.

Uganda National TreeSeed Centre, PO Box23889 Kampala Tel:286049

Straight Talk Foundation,45 Bukoto St. Kamwokya,PO Box 22366, KampalaTel. 031-262030/1

TREE TALK is a joint venture of the organisations below.Funded by Forestry Inspection Division, Ministry of Water, Lands and Environment. Produced by Straight Talk Foundation:

EDITOR: C Watson WRITERS: S Walaita, SP Amunau,DESIGN: MeB. Kalanzi, G.b Mukasa PHOTOGRAPHER: G Awekofua ILLUSTRATORS: Arnold Birungi PRINTER: The New Vision

Technical Reviewers:: Gaster Kiyingi, P. Jacovelli

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In the last issue we asked you totell us how your woodlot isgrowing. We received 25 excellentletters. Some of you have over 300trees surviving. All 25 writers andevery letter on this page wins a Tshirt!

Our school started a woodlot as the presidentasked. We planted 100 eucalyptus trees fromthe Tree Talk seeds. Seventy (70) are surviving.They are 1m tall.A Mucyuguzi, P6, Sooko PS, Kisoro

We received a packet of eucalyptus seeds lastyear. We planted 150 seedlings. They are now2.5 m tall. We also planted 30 teak trees. Theyresist termites. Thank you, Tree Talk!G Ajuma, Teacher, Bilija PS, Yumbe

Our school started to grow trees as thepresident asked. We planted the eucalyptusseeds sent. They are now 1m tall.Ingabire Jane, P5, Gisozi SDA PS, Kisoro

Thanks, Tree Talk, for leading in environmentconservation. Before the seeds were sent, wehad planted 2 acres of eucalyptus. We are nowproud of a woodlot of about 3 acres. We givepupils some to plant in their homes.Headmaster, Rubimbwa PS, Kanungu

We are happy for the eucalyptus seed. We nowhave 214 eucalyptus trees at 1.5 m tall. Theyare healthy. We will plant more when you send.Ojilong R, Agric teacher, Kakere PS, Kumi

We responded to the president's call to plantwoodlot. We have planted 80 eucalyptus: allsurvive. Headmaster, Maranatha PS, Hoima

We started woodlots with 480 eucalyptus trees.326 trees survived. Our school is planning toreplace the ones that died. The trees have

Tree Talk wants you to plant atleast five trees in a publicplace. You can do this as aclub, class, school or privateperson such as a pupil, studentor teacher.

This is what you need to do.

• Find nice seedlings of any good

tree.

• Find a public place such as a

trading center, church or along a

road.

• Ask the LC, priest/reverend,

shopkeeper or any other person to

give you clearance to plant.

• Plant atleast five trees and

remember to protect them.

• Send photos of the event to Tree

Talk with a letter signed by the LC I

or other authority who officiated to:

Tree Talk, PO Box 22366, Kampala.

The first 25 responses win TreeTalk T-shirts!

Letters and photos from Tree Talkers

Our seedlings are doing well at the nursery bed. We areclearing where to plant them. Thank you very much forsending us seeds. We shall make Uganda a green

country as it was before.Pupils, Victoria PS,Kitigoma, Jinja

Plant trees in apublic place and

WIN!

Students and teachers of MtRwenzori Alliance SS, Kilembe poseat their nursery bed.

In the background is our woodlotTeacher and environmental club,Ryamabengwa PS, Bushenyi

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Send us more! Pupils of Kitemba PS,Kibaale, watering their trees.

started attracting the attention of peoplepassing by and the environment is now verybeautiful.Oola S, Kyamulalama P/S, Kiboga

Yes, in Bukaliha P/S trees were planted. Out of400 planted, 281 trees are surviving. They areabout 3.5 m tall.Taaka Beatrice, Bukhaliha P/S, Busia

Truly, we don’t have plenty of wood in our area.We are ready to make wood plenty by plantinglots of trees.Adongu Samson, concerned Tree Talk

reader, Soroti.

We planted 150 moringa. Even before this, wehad planted some others. Our school will be richwith moringa products next yearD Onzimuke, Teacher, Katiyi PS, Arua.

Transplanting Musizi: Pupils andteachers of Linghole PS, Pallisa

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Thank you for sending us moringa. We had neverseen it before, hope to see it from the seeds yousent. We promise to look after our seedlings toget mature trees that are very important as wehear. The photo shows our woodlot.Tree planting group, Balyanika PS,Kamwenge

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