FORESTS: TASLL and ECOTRUST reassure communities in northern Uganda

What the report says

The Independent Uganda reports that partners in the Transformative Approach to Sustainable Landscapes and Livelihoods (TASLL) project met in Lamwo as the northern Uganda initiative comes to a close. The engagement reviewed progress, challenges and sustainability plans for work in the Agoro-Agu landscape, covering parts of Lamwo, Pader, Kitgum and Agago districts in the Acholi sub-region.

According to the report, TASLL focused on conserving more than 65,548 hectares of natural forest and had aimed to restore 15,000 hectares through the planting of 6 million native trees, including in refugee-hosting communities. ECOTRUST officials told stakeholders that although further support from the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office is unlikely, the project had been designed with an exit plan. Farmers are expected to transition into ECOTRUST’s Trees for Global Benefit programme, with continued support linked to tree management and carbon sales contracts.

The publisher reported that during two years of implementation, the project digitally mapped 5,000 farmers, trained 22 tree nursery operators and planted 508,820 trees. Of these, 416,488 were native trees planted across 1,041.22 hectares after community engagement activities. Monitoring of trees from the 2025 planting season reportedly found 98.6% of those checked in good condition. The initiative also trained 3,430 community members in collaborative land-use planning, with an emphasis on gender inclusion and household resilience.

ECOTRUST and district officials said the next phase will link sustainability efforts to local government plans and income-generating activities such as apiculture and shea value chains. Project offices in Agago, Lamwo and Pader are set to close, while operations are consolidated through a regional hub in Kitgum.