Natural Resources

 

 Introduction

The Department of Natural Resources comprises of the Natural Resources Office, the Lands and Physical Planning Office as well as the Forestry, Environment & Wetlands Office. It is charged with the responsibility of ensuring sustainable and productive utilisation of natural resources for poverty reduction, enhanced economic growth and improved livelihoods. The major causes of deterioration of the quality and quantity of the natural resource base is associated with human activity. There is massive deforestation particularly on privately owned land where most of the districts tree resources are. This is closely followed by wetland degradation as a result of cultivation of crops.

 Environment

 Environmental sanitation

 Environment sanitation indicators by category

Category

Number

Solid waste collection points

1

Landfills

N/A

Environment committees

5

Washing bays less than 30 meters from open water sources

N/A

Source: District Natural Resource Office 2019

 Waste management

Solid waste management by category

Category

Number

Bankers

2

Garbage trucks for urban

1

Source: District Natural Resource Office 2019

 Prevalence of pollution

There is no clear data and information on the prevalence of pollution except for the observation that can be made straight away on dust pollution from the coffee hullers poorly located without a clear gazetted industrial area in Bukomansimbi Town council.  The factories emit dust from their exercise into the road and residential areas in their neighborhoods.

 

 Environmental issues

Terrestrial status

Status

Flora

Fauna

Endangered spps

Papyrus

Mud fish

Musizi trees

Statungas (water bucks)

Ficus spp

N/A

Predominant spps

Papyrus

Mud fish

Extinct spps

Canarium spp

N/A

Source: District Natural Resource Office 2019

Wetlands

 State of Wetlands

 State of wetlands by category

Category

Number

Number of protected wetlands

3

Number of restored wetlands

1

Source: District Natural Resource Office 2019

 Location of Rivers, Swamps and Lakes

 Location of rivers/swamps by name and subcounty

S/No.

River/Swamp

Sub county

Characteristics

1

Katonga River

Kitanda, Bigasa

Permanent

2

Nabajjuzi Swamp

Butenga, Bigasa

Permanent

3

Kyoja Swamp

Butenga, Kitanda

Permanent

4

Sseera swamp

Butenga

Permanent

5

Katengeeto swamp

Kitanda, Bukomansimbi TC

Permanent

6

Kayanja swamp

Kitanda

Permanent

7

Kawaala swamp

Butenga

Permanent

8

Kikondeere swamp

Butenga

Permanent

9

Lukuuku swamp

Butenga

Permanent

10

Bigasa swamp

Bigasa

Permanent

11

Lwemiyaga Swamp

Bigasa

Permanent

12

Mukoza swamp

Bigasa

Permanent

13

Kisaka swamp

Kitanda

Permanent

14

Gayaaza swamp

Butenga

Permanent

15

Butalaga swamp

Bigasa

Permanent

16

Binnyobirya swamp

Butenga

Permanent

17

Kaalubanda swamp

Kibinge

Permanent

18

Nkalwe swamp

Butenga

Permanent

19

Kallisizoswamp

Kibinge

Permanent

20

Kiryamenvu swamp

Butenga

Permanent

21

Nsoloolo swamp

Kitanda

Permanent

Source: District Natural Resource Office 2019

 Forestry

 Natural and Planted Forests

The district doesn’t have any Natural Forest and no forest gazetted land.

 Status of Planted forests

S/No.

Planted forests

Status

Land coverage(hectares)

1

Eucalyptus plantations

Scattered allover

560 Ha

Source: District Natural Resource Office 2019

 Land management

 Number of land offers processed

Bukomansimbi district has processed 13 Land offers in the year 2018/19

 Area of government land identified and registered

Land at Lusaka village in Bigasa Sub County was identified and registered under Bukomansimbi District Local Government.

 Land use and ownership

Land use percentage/distribution

Land use

Percentage

Ownership

Agriculture

75%

Private

Commercial farming

15%

Private

forest reserves/Wetlands

5%

Public

Source: District Natural Resource Office, 2019

 Land Degradation problems

The district is currentlyexperiencing 5 land degradation problems which include; Soil erosion, overgrazing, over cultivation, bush burning and mono cropping

 Pollution

 Pollution Industries by type

Types of hazard/industry

No. of approved EIAs

Environment component affected

Filling stations

6

Land, air, water

Grinding mills

N/A

Air

Telecom masts

3

Land, air

Tanneries

N/A

Land, air, water

Source: District Natural Resource Office, 2018

Infrastructure Planning

Structure Plan

Currently the district doesn’t have any structure plan

 Local physical development plans and compliance inspections

There are only 9 local physical development plans which were approved this financial year 2018/2019 and 4 compliance inspections were undertaken.