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Colonel Michael Walaka Hyeroba of the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) in North Kivu, DRC, has initiated a tree planting campaign to combat environmental degradation and climate change. Over 300,000 trees, including eucalyptus, gravera, jack fruits, mangoes, and pawpaw, have been planted across UPDF’s areas of responsibility.

In order to combat the widespread environmental degradation and climate change in the province of Rutshuru-North Kivu, Colonel Michael Walaka Hyeroba, the contingent commander of the Uganda Peoples Defence Forces (UPDF) under the East African Community Region Force (EACRF) in the Eastern DRC-North Kivu, spearheaded the planting of over 300,000 different tree species.

The UPDF Contingent headquarters in Nyongera Kiwanja hosted the campaign’s debut. It will now spread throughout the UPDF’s Bunagana, Tshengerero, and Mabenga areas of responsibility.

Col. Hyeroba stated that the exercise is one of the UPDF’s internal customs for maintaining a clean, unpolluted environment. He also added that it is also the force’s responsibility to protect the environment.

“We have secured at least 300,000 various types of trees and fruits and have distributed them to the soldiers for planting,” said Col Hyeroba

The drive is in response to worries about the rapidly deteriorating state of the surrounding environment, including UPDF’s general area of responsibility, which, if not addressed, will likely have an impact on the climate in the future.

Therefore, Col. Hyeroba continued, “EACRF is concerned that we conserve the ecosystem in order to confront the challenges of global warming’s effects and to support the improvement of the climate in the region.

He urged all soldiers and officers, departmental leaders, and component commanders to assume full accountability for ensuring that the trees flourish in all circumstances.

Among other species, the trees planted were eucalyptus, gravera, jack fruits, mangoes, and pawpaw.