{"id":66887,"date":"2022-01-25T17:15:36","date_gmt":"2022-01-25T16:15:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/?p=66887"},"modified":"2022-01-27T14:55:02","modified_gmt":"2022-01-27T13:55:02","slug":"landscape-restoration-as-a-business-in-uganda","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.iucn.nl\/en\/story\/landscape-restoration-as-a-business-in-uganda\/","title":{"rendered":"Landscape restoration as a business in Uganda"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Uganda is home to one of the richest rainforests in Africa, but population growth, unsustainable land use and climate change put increasing pressure on nature and livelihoods. Conserving these can only be done through strong collaboration between local, national and international networks of local communities, civil society, government and businesses. IUCN NL strengthens processes to connect different levels of nature conservation by supporting communities and civil society groups in Uganda, together with our partner organisation ECOTRUST.<\/h4>\n<\/div>\n\n
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The Murchison-Semliki Landscape is located in the Northern Albertine Rift. The landscape is rich in natural resources such as lakes, rivers, national parks, game reserves, tropical high forests, savanna grasslands, woodlands and wetlands. It hosts many of Africa\u2019s animal and plant species and is home to 3.7 million people.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Uganda\u2019s population has increased by 40% in the last 40 years, which means more and more food and land is needed for people to survive. \u2018Some Ugandans are getting wealthier, but many still struggle to earn a living and meet their basic needs. The increasing demand for land leads to serious threats to the Ugandan rainforests\u2019, says Jan Willem den Besten, Senior Expert Green Finance with IUCN NL.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Fragmented forest<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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Oil and gas industries have come into the Murchison-Semliki Landscape, leading to rapid deforestation in this biodiverse area. Pauline Nantongo, of partner organisation ECOTRUST, says: \u2018The deforestation has caused different parts of the forest to become separated into large and small patches. This makes it difficult for many species to find food and shelter, which is why ECOTRUST tries to maintain the connectivity between the blocks of forests.\u2019<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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Business approach to restoration<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n\n
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ECOTRUST is an implementing partner of the IUCN NL Mobilising More for Climate<\/a> (MoMo4C) initiative, which is funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. \u2018We take a business approach to landscape restoration, with the goal of improving climate resilience and biodiversity in the landscape. We see the corridors that we are creating as the start of a value chain that delivers different climate services for a diverse set of local and global actors,\u2019 Nantongo explains.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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IUCN NL developed a short documentary to showcase the approach that ECOTRUST and MoMo4C take to restore landscapes and make these attractive to investors on the local and national level.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n

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