Less than a year ago some residents of Nyabihu and Rubavu districts were evicted from Gishwati forest, to help conserve and protect it from encroachment through illegal practices.

Due to human activity in the forest, part of which is located in a wetland, Gishwati is prone to landslides. This has further compelled the authorities to relocate the people who were encroaching on the forest.

But within a year, people are already carrying out activities that continue to serve to degrade the soil and undermine the efforts to protect wetlands.

This is a serious violation on the part of the residents, considering that measures to find them alternative plots of land for farming were taken by the relevant government authorities.

Already, the negative effects of encroaching on the forest have been registered in the form of declining water levels in the nearby Lake Karago.

Sustainable development cannot be realized if environmental protection is not given priority by all.  The Gishwati and Water Management project is one of the many initiatives taken by government to ensure sustainable use of the forest.

It is critical for residents neighbouring protected areas, to understand the imperative of such measures. They are in any case the ultimate beneficiaries of sustainable practices.

Ends