Uganda, the pearl of Africa, is an important country for plant diversity despite its relatively small size. It has more than 860 native tree species, seven of which are endemic to the country. Over 45 native tree species are threatened with extinction (IUCN Red List 2024). Forest cover in the country has declined significantly due to urban and agricultural expansion, unsustainable harvest of tree products (particularly for charcoal, firewood, and timber), livestock grazing, and mining. There is, therefore, an urgent need for well-planned conservation actions at priority sites which are underpinned by current, reliable information, to ensure that none of the country’s tree species becomes extinct.

A total of 230 individuals were directly engaged in a conservation planning process from the diversity of institutions in Uganda, including government agencies, academia, and restoration institutions. Three larger multi-stakeholder conservation planning workshops took place in Kampala, Fort Portal, and Hoima, and then workshops with National Forestry Authority staff were held throughout the country.

The resulting conservation action plan contains a national vision, five national-level goals, and eight objectives with associated actions (including lead organization and collaborators to implement them):

• Objective 1: Collate and update botanical information
• Objective 2: Raise awareness of the importance of Uganda’s tree diversity
• Objective 3: Increase the capacity of management bodies to enforce against illegal activities
• Objective 4: Control and eliminate invasive species
• Objective 5: Reduce incidences of wildfires
• Objective 6: Expand alternative sustainable livelihoods
• Objective 7: Resolve boundary disputes around protected areas
• Objective 8: Regeneration and restoration of degraded areas

Case studies are also presented for a selection of Central Forest Reserves, highlighting the main threats that national-level objectives are relevant to mitigate. Lastly, a review workshop of the conservation action plan was held to develop indicators of success for each objective and gather ideas for effective implementation.

National frameworks that provide the enabling environment, such as the National Biodiversity Strategy & Action Plan (NBSAP), exist, but species-specific action planning and implementation remain patchy. The National Conservation Action Plan for threatened tree species of Uganda links species priorities to national conservation frameworks and to on-the-ground restoration programs.