Kampala Transforms Urban Forests to Combat Climate Change
Affiliate Disclosure
Hey fellow impactful ninja ?
You may have noticed that Impactful Ninja is all about providing helpful information to make a positive impact on the world and society. And that we love to link back to where we found all the information for each of our posts.
Most of these links are informational-based for you to check out their primary sources with one click.
But some of these links are so-called "affiliate links" to products that we recommend.
Why do we add these product links?
First and foremost, because we believe that they add value to you. For example, when we wrote a post about the environmental impact of long showers, we came across an EPA recommendation to use WaterSense showerheads. So we linked to where you can find them. Or, for many of our posts, we also link to our favorite books on that topic so that you can get a much more holistic overview than one single blog post could provide.
And when there is an affiliate program for these products, we sign up for it. For example, as Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases.
What do these affiliate links mean for you?
First, and most importantly, we still only recommend products that we believe add value for you.
When you buy something through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a small commission - but at no additional costs to you.
And when you buy something through a link that is not an affiliate link, we won’t receive any commission but we’ll still be happy to have helped you.
What do these affiliate links mean for us?
When we find products that we believe add value to you and the seller has an affiliate program, we sign up for it.
When you buy something through one of our affiliate links, we may earn a small commission (at no extra costs to you).
And at this point in time, all money is reinvested in sharing the most helpful content with you. This includes all operating costs for running this site and the content creation itself.
What does this mean for me personally?
You may have noticed by the way Impactful Ninja is operated that money is not the driving factor behind it. It is a passion project of mine and I love to share helpful information with you to make a positive impact on the world and society. However, it's a project in that I invest a lot of time and also quite some money.
Eventually, my dream is to one day turn this passion project into my full-time job and provide even more helpful information. But that's still a long time to go.
Stay impactful,
At Impactful Ninja, we curate positive and impactful news for you. Follow us on Google News or sign up for our free newsletter to get these delivered straight to your inbox—just like our expert roundup below!
📰 The quick summary: Kampala has transformed its urban forest management from a simple tree-counting initiative into a comprehensive climate resilience strategy, becoming Africa’s first designated ‘Tree City of the World’ while creating greener, healthier urban spaces.
📈 One key stat: The city has mapped 200 hectares of green space and georeferenced 134,000 trees across four divisions, revealing that 80% were exotic species while only 20% were native to the region.
💬 One key quote: “No capital city in Africa has done more than Kampala in studying and documenting its urban forest,” Catharine Watson, senior adviser at the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR) and World Agroforestry (ICRAF) told Mongabay.
1️⃣ The big picture: Uganda’s capital Kampala has evolved from addressing a public safety issue of falling trees to implementing a sophisticated urban forest management plan. After conducting the city’s first comprehensive tree audit in 2016, officials discovered significant disparities in tree cover and an overreliance on non-native species. This discovery led to developing a 20-year strategy aimed at increasing native tree diversity, improving management frameworks, and raising public awareness. Beyond addressing immediate environmental concerns, Kampala now focuses on creating wildlife corridors and integrating blue infrastructure with natural wetlands, earning recognition as Africa’s first ‘Tree City of the World.’
2️⃣ Why is this good news: Kampala’s urban forestry initiative serves multiple essential functions simultaneously, addressing public health concerns, enhancing biodiversity, and creating new jobs. The city’s innovative approach includes real-time monitoring of tree health that enables early intervention and better decision-making. By committing to plant 8,000 trees annually and increasing tree density from 13 to 30 trees per acre, Kampala tackles pressing urban challenges like the heat island effect, flooding, and poor air quality. The program’s evolution to include wildlife corridors demonstrates a holistic approach to urban ecology that protects both flora and fauna while improving climate resilience for all residents.
3️⃣ What’s next: Kampala plans to develop a comprehensive green and blue infrastructure master plan that integrates engineered water systems with natural wetlands and rivers. City officials aim to establish biodiversity corridors connecting fragmented wildlife habitats throughout urban areas. Community involvement remains crucial for sustainable progress, with foresters emphasizing that public understanding leads to greater ownership and lasting environmental change.
Read the full story here: Mongabay – From counting trees to enhancing climate resiliency, Kampala focuses on its forests
