A History of the Uganda Forest Department 1951-1965

The forests of Uganda and their management are of particular interest in the field of tropical forestry. Lying on the boundary between the lowland forests of the Congo basin and West Africa and the savannah of East Africa, Uganda's abundant and reliable rainfall supports considerable areas of moist tropical forest, with much of the land suitable for the planting of fast growing tree crops. Part of a British protectorate form 1893, post-1950 Uganda became a world leader in the composition, harvesting and management of natural forests, complementing this with the establishment of its own extensive plantations for the production of fuel, poles and saw-timber. Many of the challenges documented in this book should be as relevant today as in previous years: the accelerating deficit of saw-timber, urban encroachment, costly demarcation of boundaries and decentralization of management all remain vexing and, at times, controversial issues. This volume, compiled by two former members of Uganda's forestry department provides both an historical record and authoritative experience from which to draw for those involved in forestry and land management today.