15 million trees planted in Uganda as Welsh Government tries to tackle climate change

15 million trees have been planted in Uganda as part of a Welsh Government project to try and tackle climate change.

The aim is to plant 25 million trees in the heavily deforested area of eastern Uganda by 2025.

The Mbale Trees project - funded by the long-standing Wales and Africa programme - aims to plant more than three million trees a year in a bid to increase community resilience to the impacts of climate change.

Free tree seedlings are distributed to local people to be planted on smallholdings and land in the community, along with fuel-efficient stoves and advice and support for other livelihoods, like bee-keeping.

The project links with the Welsh Government's Plant! Scheme, planting two trees for every child born or adopted in Wales - one planted in Uganda and one planted here in Wales.

In recent years Mbale has been affected by heavy rainfall and fatal landslides, caused by a combination of climate change and excessive logging due to poor enforcement of protection laws and a growing population.

Fast-growing trees protect local people from the effects of soil erosion and fruit grown offers a sustainable source of food and an extra income.

The 10 millionth tree milestone was achieved in autumn 2019, with First Minister Mark Drakeford marking the occasion by planting a tree in Cardiff's Bute Park as another was planted Uganda by a young climate change activist.

Minister for Social Justice, Jane Hutt, whose portfolio includes Wales and Africa, said:

"For more than a decade Wales has developed and deepened its community-based links with sub-Sahara countries in Africa.

"This mutually-beneficial approach has long supported sustainable development and solidarity, of which we can be justifiably proud.

"On top of planting 15 million trees - a fantastic achievement in itself - Wales has helped to protect an area of tropical rainforest twice the size of Wales and supported 16,000 families across 30 villages who may have otherwise faced severe hardship."

Minister for Climate Change, Julie James, said:

"The Mbale Trees initiative is an example of what can be achieved when nations work together to combat climate change."

"Our pledge to plant 3 million more every year for the next 5 years will deliver substantial benefits, not just for those within Mbale, but it will have a considerable global impact on climate change.