. The Conservation Atlas of Tropical Forests: Africa. Uganda The demand for fuelwood in Uganda is enormous, much greater than that for sawn-wood. Various estimates indicate that 90-95 per cent of the wood consumed in the country is for fuel. At present, most of this is taken from public land outside the forest reserves - from fuelwood plantations, small remnant patches of natural for- est and woodland - but demand from an increasing population and a growing industrial sector is already outstripping the supply available in these areas (Howard, 1991). The burgeoning brick- making industry consum
. The Conservation Atlas of Tropical Forests: Africa. Uganda The demand for fuelwood in Uganda is enormous, much greater than that for sawn-wood. Various estimates indicate that 90-95 per cent of the wood consumed in the country is for fuel. At present, most of this is taken from public land outside the forest reserves - from fuelwood plantations, small remnant patches of natural for- est and woodland - but demand from an increasing population and a growing industrial sector is already outstripping the supply available in these areas (Howard, 1991). The burgeoning brick- making industry consumes large quantities of fuel during firing while the recent trend of rural people to migrate to the larger towns and cities also greatly increases the demand for charcoal (Struhsaker, 1987). The demand for building poles is also sub- stantial, estimated by the World Bank (1986) to be between four and five million poles or 300,000 to 400,000 cu. m of wood. These come mostly from small private plantations, natural forest rem- nants on public land and trees on agricultural land, but poles are also taken from all the forest reserves. Furthermore, the exploita- tion of bamboos, palm nuts and rattan canes has a locally signifi- cant impact on the forests (Howard, 1991). In 1987, Uganda issued a revised forest policy which emphasised the importance of protective forestry. In theory, enough forest land is to be maintained and safeguarded to ensure sufficient supplies of timber, fuel and other forest products for the long-term needs of the country and, where feasible, for export. Water supplies and soils are to be protected, plants and animals will be conserved in natural ecosystems, but the forests will also be available for amenity and recre- ation. TTie forests will be managed to optimise economic and envi- ronmental benefits by ensuring that conversion of the forest resources to umber, charcoal and the like is carried out efficiently; that the forest estate is protected against encro
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