How to Grow Trees in Uganda
A step by step guide on how Tooro Botanical Gardens supports tree planting.
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Biodiversity
Indigenous biodiversity has reached an alarming stage in Uganda. Sometimes few or no trees are recorded over several hectares. Growing trees can help reverse this trend. Tooro Botanical Gardens supplies highly diverse tree species seedlings in Uganda.
A step by step guide to restoring indigenous biodiversity
Tooro Botanical Gardens works to promote community-centered Biodiversity Conservation in the Albertine region. With more than 167 tree species, high quality planting stock is essential and all species must be grown from known provenances and disease free seed sources.
Step 1: Seed sourcing
Seeds of native tree species are sourced from known provenance. It's important to look at the species and their habitats including which agro ecological zone they are from.
Step 2: Seed germination
Germination of seed is the most vulnerable time in the long life of a tree. It is an ideal foundation for forest conservation and restoration. It is here the organism grows from a seed into a tree.
Staff weeding seedlings in the propagation unit (2021)Original Source: Tooro Botanical Gardens
Caring for tree seedlings
Here we see a gardener weeding seedlings. Done once a month, it raises healthy seedlings. Good advice is to remove all weeds that colonize tree seedling containers and check them frequently.
Step 3: Tree nursery
Tree nurseries are ideal to specifically involve local community members in forest restoration activities, and increase supply of native tree planting materials to ensure sustainable forest landscape restoration and conservation.
Step 4: Community trainings
Training local community members in nursery establishment and management techniques is ideal for the production of high-quality tree seedlings for forest restoration.
Community tree planting (2021)Original Source: Tooro Botanical Gardens
Community tree planting
Tooro Botanical Gardens organizes community tree planting events to educate communities about the benefits of trees. They successfully plant native species and monitor their growth and health.
Kagadi Community set for tree planting exercise (2021)Original Source: Tooro Botanical Gardens
The involvement of women in forest restoration activities
Involving women in tree planting activities empowers them to restore degraded ecosystems and appreciate the benefits derived from planting trees. This helps them understand and respond to priority needs and aspirations of forest conservation.
Engaging the community members on tree planting (2021)Original Source: Tooro Botanical Gardens
Engaging community members in tree planting
Community members stand near a native tree seedling donated by Tooro Botanical Gardens. These activities strengthen their abilities in planning and management of forests.
Step 5: Restoration demonstration plot
This 4-year-old demonstration restoration site at Tooro Botanical Gardens ensures growth and ecological restoration. It gives an insight to forest conservation and restoration for the species long-term survival.
Spathodea standTooro Botanical Gardens
Tree seed orchard
As part of the site, the famous Spathodea campanulata seed orchard at Tooro Botanical Gardens, was established to produce seeds from genetically diverse mother trees.
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