provides shade and shelter and valuable timber along with significant leaf mulch. Many eucalypts have been introduced from South African tree breeding programs including Euc. Saligna (Sydney blue gum), Grevillea robusta (Silky oak) and Euc. grandis x Euc. camaldulensis (Flooded gum x Red gum). The Flooded gum x Red gum is popular because of high growth rates and ability to coppice, resulting in many leaders shooting after harvest from the remaining stump. If managed appropriately the re-growth can be used for climbing bean stakes, small poles for scaffolding, larger poles for power lines, sawlogs for construction and furniture whilst unsuitable timber for these purposes can be processed to produce charcoal. Charcoal is an extremely popular product used for cooking throughout Africa and responsible for over-clearing of many landscapes. Some people do not like Eucalypts as they consider they use too much water. Others think that with strategic placement they can be of great benefit bringing multiple values to farming systems and communities. Of the remaining vegetation, Uganda has a great diversity of flora and fauna. There are some outstanding native trees such as Prunus africana, which is not only visually attractive but produces excellent timber, used in house building, for furniture and poles and as fuel. For traditional medicine, bark infusion serves as a purgative, also used in treatment of prostate cancer; the bark is also pounded, water added and the red liquid drunk as a remedy for stomachache. A leaf infusion is taken to improve appetite. The immediate impact of the Master TreeGrower Program has been extraordinarily positive suggesting that it does indeed represent a very different approach to forestry and agroforestry development in Uganda and one that is highly regarded by landholders, service providers, NGOs and even government agencies and their officers. An enthusiastic steering committee has been formed to guide the Kabale Agroforestry Network
(KAN) into a future of developing sustainable and productive farming systems. KAN has accepted the offer of OAN to mentor their group. Sharing experiences and exchanging ideas and knowledge proved to be a powerful learning experience for both the Kabale farmers and the Australian team. For further inquiry and/or those interested in joining OAN, phone: Andrew Stewart on 0448 363 277 or email: jillandandrew.stewart@gmail.com A blog of the Uganda trip can be viewed at www.travelpod.com/members/africamtg2013
Pictures from left to right: 1. Dr Sammy Carson (ICRAF) leads a field visit to farms in the Nairobi region where farmers are integrating timber production with their farming activities. 2. Participants discuss land management options to combat soil erosion and water quality issues in the Kyantobe catchment 3. Participants in the First African Master TreeGrower Course, Kabale, 2013 4. Dr Joy Tukahirwa (centre) with the Australians. From left: David Curry, Marianne Stewart, Andrew Stewart, Rowan Reid, Wendy Robinson-Koss, Mike RobinsonKoss and Jill Stewart.
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