Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation

Uganda depends heavily on environment and natural resources.  Future sustainability in agriculture, food security and general livelihoods relies significantly on environmental conservation and sustainability. However, the country is subjected to environmental problems which put the economic, environmental and social development at risk. These include soil degradation, deforestation, drainage of wetlands, loss of biodiversity, pollution and unsanitary conditions.

Many of these problems are associated with poor management of water resources, poor farming methods, demographic pressures leading to land scarcity, and lack of efficient energy sources; resulting into food insecurity arising from drought and floods, outbreak of diseases such as malaria, water borne diseases associated with floods and respiratory diseases associated with droughts, and heavy rainfalls which increase land degradation.  This is where you come in!

What will I be doing?

Volunteers in this field do hands-on work and have a direct impact on the preservation of the environment in the host communities. Participants may help to integrate environmental curricula in schools; promote sustainable utilization of natural resources— proper sanitation practices and alternative energy practices; promote environmental awareness activities— wastewater management, recycling, environmental youth clubs and park management; as well as promoting environmental approaches— sustainable agriculture, fuel efficient stoves and various agri-business strategies.

The project provides international participants with the opportunity to gain firsthand experience in agro-forestry, tree planting and reforestation, with focus on the Western Uganda Highlands. The program brings together international volunteers on a regular basis to construct nurseries both with schools and communities, transplanting trees to degraded forest sites and train communities on agro-forestry techniques.

Project Impact

The project assist communities throughout Uganda with the design, establishment and management of tree nurseries, tree planting programs, and reforestation activities. This will reduce pressure on the natural forest and thus contribute to forest and wildlife conservation in the region, while creating sustainable livelihoods for community members. Education contributes to increasing environmental awareness in the project areas and Uganda at large.

Contributing to reforestation, rehabilitation of degraded forest land and forest conservation; working with local communities; training and assisting local people with tree nursery establishment and management, tree planting activities, local celebrations; visiting primary and secondary schools, assisting with conservation education activities; and of course experiencing life in one of the most special biodiversity hotspot (plants, birds, butterflies!) areas.

First Day: On the first day of the volunteering placement, the volunteers will be escorted to the project by local staff and introduced to the staff at the project you will be working with.

Weekdays: While our programs are flexible and can be fitted to your requirements, a typical day is as follows.

•   8.00AM Breakfast with the host family

·         8.30AM Volunteer leaves home and is dropped (or walks) to the project;

·         The volunteer joins with the local staff. You will be given a duty roster and a plan for your work. There is usually a tea break and a lunch break.  Work and hours is dependent on the project and location that the volunteer is participating in.

·         2.00PM-5.00PM Work at the project usually ends. The volunteer at this point is free to visit and see places or do shopping. 

·         7.30PM Dinner with the host family.

Well, we couldn’t really be Africa Sustainable Tourism Care Foundation without extra tourism adventure could we?! As part of your volunteer vacation experience, in the majority of our short and longer term projects, we give you the chance to take part in a range of different adventure activities.

Uganda is a large and extremely diverse country in terms of both culture and nature. For three days you can undertake an excursion safari that ushers you in the vast Bwindi Impenetrable National for Gorilla Trekking or the Murchison Falls National Park for Uganda Wildlife Tour or the famous Queen Elizabeth National Park for wildlife and Bird Watching, or the Kibale National Park for Uganda Chimpanzee Trekking. You can also take a journey for Cultural Tour from Central to Eastern Uganda, to tour Kampala the Capital City of Uganda, Buganda and Busoga Kingdom, or to Western Uganda, to tour Bunyoro, Toro and Ankole royal monarchy, tradition and culture. The adventures will provide you with a break from your project, a chance to see your host country from a different perspective, and time to maybe live out a few dreams!  Join this extraordinary adventure and embark on the most meaningful experience of your lifetime.