With this Tree TTalk

alk
alk, 15,500 schools
and 300 NGOs will receive free seed
for mvule, senna and calliandra!
Seed can also be bought from the
National Tree Seed Centre,
Namamve: 041-286049.

will send FREE mvule seed to the first

1000 readers who write to Mvule Offer,
PO Box 9815, Kampala. WRITE now for
Mvule planted by your free seed!
4
Kakungulu in Mbale uly 200
No.2 J
Vol. 3

Mvule:
king of OIN THE
j paign

trees
Mvule is Uganda's most
famous tree. Big, slow-
growing and beautiful, it
only grows in Africa. In
west Africa, mvule is
called iroko and is also
prized. Mvule is now a
threatened species. It
has been over-harvested
and under-planted.
In Uganda only the district forest officer
can allow mvule to be cut. In practice,
many people cut mvule anyhow anytime.
We can now do something about this bad
situation. With this Tree Talk, schools in
34 mvule-growing districts are receiving a
packet of mvule seed.
We can start a mvule growing campaign!
Mvule seeds are hard to collect but not
hard to germinate. Here is your schedule.
July: plant the seeds in your school
camgrow
to ule!
mv
seed bed right away. The seeds will loose
viability (life) if you delay. Don't worry
about the dry season. Construct a shade
over the seedbed and keep it moist.
August: The seeds will germinate in 8-
20 days. After 2-3 weeks put them into
small pots. Choose a reliable teacher or
student who lives near the school to water
them over the Aug 20 -Sept 6 school
break!
September - January: care for
your seedlings. Protect them from
animals and always remember to water.
February: plant the seedlings out. Dig
big holes and fill them with good top soil
and compost.
Protect the young trees from animals and
children. Nurture them as they grow.
Mvule grows quite slowly but in two to
three years, you will have a mvule you can Students of Atiri SS, Tororo, wait for the Straight Talk team under
sit under. Brilliant. You have started your a massive mvule. This tree is female and about 80 years old.
mvule-growing campaign!

Be a hero Trees for medicine

Semei Kakungulu was a
famous man who
planted thousands of
mvule trees in eastern
Uganda 100 years ago.
Planting avenues of
trees was something
that big men did in
those days. They had
patience and vision.
Semei Kakungulu,
great mvule planter, "My grandfather, Chief
in 1900
Engulu, planted the big
mvule trees we see
today in Soroti town,"
says Minister of Health
W I N the Miti ni Mali book
Mike Mukula.
Let us also be heroic
tree-planters!
Every tree has its
speed. While we plant
fast-growing trees, let
us also plant great The oil of the sheabutter tree treats wounds on livestock.
slow-growing trees like Do you use a tree for medicine? Write to Tree Talk, PO Box
22366, K'la. Write how you use it. Send a drawing or photo.
mvule for our heritage.
2 Tree Talk, July 2004

Collecting mvule seed

You cannot pick tree and collect foresters from the the finest mvule trees. Then they mashed the fruit
mvule seed from the fruit. National Tree Seed
COnsider
Using harnessesaand to extract the seed. Here
the ground. You This is tough work! Centre moved to Ngetta, ropes, the foresters spent are photos of them at
have to climb the To collect your seed, Lira. Ngetta has some of days in the tree tops. work.

Tree seed Felix is held Felix has

specialist safely by picked many
Sebastain ropes and mvule fruits.
Walaita harnesses. His
uses all his He is one of colleagues
strength to only four help him to
haul Felix trained high- come down
Achung up tree climbers from the
into the in Uganda. treetop.
mvule.

Here are Sebastian The team

the fruits. shovels washes the
They grow mvule pulp in
only on the fruit. The water. The
female machine seeds float
trees. mashes to the
the fruit. surface.
They are
skimmed off
and dried.

The ecology of mvule Mvule

Tree Talk supports
for public places
the Uganda Forestry
Policy 2001.

This policy promotes

forestry in villages,
trading centres and
towns (urban
forestry).

It also promotes
planting of trees on
road verges.

Trees reduce the

effects of sun, rain
and wind.
All schools in the districts below will receive mvule seed.
Plant it right away and care for it well!
Adjumani • Apac• Arua• Bugiri• Bundibugyo• Busia • Gulu• Hoima
• Iganga• Jinja• Kabarole• Kaberamaido• Kalangala• Kanungu
In nature, bats are the friends • Kamuli• Kamwenge• Kasese • Katakwi• Kayunga• Kibaale •Kiboga
of mvule. They eat the fruit and
defaecate the seeds. •Kitgum• Kumi •Kyenjojo •Lira •Luwero• Masaka •Masindi
Sometimes the seeds germinate •Mayuge •Mbale• Mbarara •Moyo •Mpigi• Mubende •Mukono
in the wild. But mvule is not a •Nakasongola •Nakapiripirit •Nebbi •Ntungamo •Pader •Pallisa
tree that spreads easily. It •Rakai •Rukungiri •Sembabule •Sironko • Soroti
needs our help. • Tororo •Wakiso•Yumbe
 3 Tree Talk, July 2004

Calliandra for rich soil, big harvest

When you grow a hedge of New stands grow from the same
Calliandra on a hill: stump year after year.
Calliandra produces
• it holds the soil
good stakes for beans
• it increases the depth of the
and tomatoes.
soil
• it helps the rain to go into the
soil.

How to germinate
Calliandra can be propagated by
seedlings or direct sowing. Tree
Talk is sending you 200 seeds.

Moses Sempaja Calliandra seed has a hard coat.

with Calliandra in So soak the seeds in cool water In two years you can get
Mukono. for 8 hours. Then remove the 20 tons of firewood from
seed from the water and let it sit one hectare of Calliandra.
over night. Soak again for 8 In Kabale scientists found
hours the next day. Drain it and that 100m hedge of
let it rest overnight again. calliandra can hold back
80 tonnes of top soil!
Spread the seeds on the seedbed
Tree Talk is sending calliandra
and cover with rough sand.
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seed to Bushenyi, Kabale,

Water daily.
Kapchorwa and Kisoro.
Germination takes place in 7-18
Do not let your school miss the
days. Transplant seedlings into
benefits of Calliandra. This
pots 3 days after germination.
agroforestry tree does many
Make a shade to protect the Calliandra flowers give
wonderful things.
seedlings from the sun. Continue forage for bees.
to water the seedlings.
Agroforestry is when you mix
Remove the shade after a month
trees with farming.
to help the seedlings to get used
Calliandra grows fast and is
to life in the field. This is called
almost a miracle tree for the
soil.
“hardening off”.

Seedlings can be planted in the

Calliandra leaves are rich
in protein and are excellent
Cassia for
fodder for cattle. You can
Calliandra fixes nitrogen so it is
a great pioneer plant for
improving fertility of poor soils.
field when they are 18-20 cm
high. Calliandra coppices nicely.
also dig them into the soil
as manure.
Karamoja: trees
for fuel, shade
siamea and Senna spectabilis.
Teachers get Tree Talk training Tree Talk is sending Senna
siamea seed to all schools and
Didas Bazarirehi of Ndeego PS, life and given me wealth for the NGOs in Karamoja. Every school
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Kabale, said: "We planted over future," said PD Sidonyi of will receive about 390 seeds.
100 eucalyptus and 20 Bishop’s East PS, Mukono.
lusambya." The teachers vowed to change How to germinate
the environment of their schools Soak the seed for two days in
The teachers learnt: and districts. cold water. Broadcast the seeds
• The importance of forests over the nursery bed. Cover
• Managing a nursery In 2005 we will select 30 more them with a thin layer of rough
• Potting and seed collection great teachers for another sand. Water until the seedbed is
• How to manage a woodlot training on trees. Will you be one moist. Then water everyday.
of them? You can be! Start Germination is between 6 and 18
• Sustainable tree planting
growing your trees now! Cassia came to Uganda at the days.
"This training has changed my time of the Uganda railroad. It
was grown as fuel for the steam Transplant the small seedlings
trains. Since then it has proved into pots before they develop
Challenges of tree-growing at school to be useful and safe for the root hairs, about three days after
environment. germination. Make a shade to

Otim Isaac, of Aninata Cassia wood resists termites

PS, Kotido, won "best and is good for charcoal, poles
student" for his open and furniture. The common
attitude and desire to species in Uganda are Senna
learn. Here he makes a
nursery bed.

protect the young seedlings from

In April 2004, Tree Talk and the the sun. Water daily. Remove
EU Forestry Resources shade after one month. Plant the
Management and Conservation The teachers pose with eucalytpus seedlings. seedlings after three months.
Project held a three day training The course was held at Nyabyeya Forestry College
for Tree Talking teachers from in Masindi. Cassia is fast growing and takes
25 districts. • Livestock: protect young trees with barbed wire, thorny lots of nutrients. So do not mix it
branches or poles tied with reeds. Call a PTA or parents' with crops.
The teachers were chosen for meeting. It is usually parents who graze animals at the
their interest in trees. They had school. It produces many new stems
all grown many trees at their • Termites: dig out the mounds and remove the queen. after cutting the original stem.
schools. Sharif Kaahwa of Plant termite-resistant trees like cassia or use chemi-
Kihande Muslims PS, Masindi, cals. If you are an NGO in Karamoja
said: "We planted 50 eucalyptus • Prolonged drought: plant indigenous trees. They are Casia trees conserve soil and would like to receive cassia
and 40 moringa around the good at withstanding drought. Water young trees and provide shade and seed, write to Tree Talk, PO
school and mosque." during dry season. mulch. Box 22366, Kampala.
4 Tree Talk, July 2004

You have won a book! Grow trees in a public

In March we asked you to identify all the
animals in a tropical tree. place and
We had 45 entries. win!!
As promised, we are In March, Tree
posting this valuable Talk asked
book to these 25 you to plant
winners: Henery, trees in
C Atucungwire, A public places. Mango Tree Enterprises
Mbarusha, R Abiribu, S Keep planting!
Kanyonyi, S Peace, L This QUIZ is still
Kusiima, B Nabawanuka, on!
J Twesiime, F Magara, R Tree by G
Olokcwinyu, D Ninsiima, G Ojwang, Busia •Get nice seedlings of good trees.
Forward SS •Get a public place: e.g. trading center,
Muhire, H Anguyo, T Ahimbisibwe, E Atuhaire,
R Kiiza, H Akumu, M Medaro, M Kiyaga, E church, roadside, school.
•Ask the LC, priest, headteacher to
Kamukama, P Musimami, G Acema, Sunday, and allow you to plant.
G Ogwang. •Plant at least 5-10 trees (make sure
you protect them!)
•Send photos with your letter endorsed
Your le tt
lett er
tter
erss Write to PO Box 22366, Kampala
Every letter published wins a T shirt.
by the person who allowed you to plant
to: Tree Talk, PO Box 22366, Kampala.

Before you sent seed, we had planted 3

acres of eucalyptus. With Tree Talk seeds,
we are expanding our woodlot. Mukasa
BA, Nyamiko PS, Bushenyi
Tree Talk helps us to teach science in line
with section C, Primary Curriculum Vol 1.
Draji J, Ocebu PS, Arua
Please send 100 Tree Talks. Many
students have joined this club. Kibwota A,
Awach SSS, Gulu
We need more Tree Talks for our staff,
students and library. Dep Principal,
Nyabyeya Forestry College, Masindi
Thank you for improving our learning Amazing! This musizi is two years old,
skills. Kebirungi FY, Nganwa Junior grown from Tree Talk seed in 2002!
School, Bushenyi Namutumba Modern PS, Iganga
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We received eucalyptus seeds. We planted
and protected them. They are now 2 m
high. Ntakiru I, Busengo PS, Kisoro
Since Tree Talk started in 2002, we have
grown 500 eucalyptus. They all survived.
Mutabazi W, Kyabwera PS, Kamwenge Pupils of Nyabiswera PS, Nakasongola
read Tree Talk. Their Albizia tree is
Thank you for Tree Talk and seeds. We nicely protected.
enjoy reading it with our teachers.
Adukule D, P4, New Bweyale Parents, Our school has started tree growing with two
Masindi woodlots of eucalyptus and other valuable trees.
We are impressed with Tree Talk. Omara T,
We appreciate the efforts to conserve our Young trees need watering! Pupils and
teacher, Aculbanya SS, Lira
environment. Our school has resolved to teachers of Koch Awinga SS, Nebbi
join the struggle. HM, Ibanga PS, Mayuge We used to buy firewood. But since we started ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ○
woodlots of eucalyptus, we no longer have to.
Musiimenta TF, Kitabi Seminary, Bushenyi
Tree Talk has enhanced us to plant 1000
eucalyptus trees. Give us training. Anguzu S,
Okufura SS, Arua
We raised the eucalyptus in our woodlot. Over 50
survived and are about 2.5 meters high.
Opiyo K. Goma Central P/S, Gulu
Please avail us more Tree Talks together with
other related ones. HM, Swaria PS Soroti Pupils and teachers with their 1/4
acre of Lusambya in Mutai PS, Jinja

TREE TALK is a joint project of the Forestry Inspection Division, National Tree Seed
Centre, and Straight Talk Foundation.
Editor: C Watson Writers: S Walaita, SP Amunau,
Design: MeB. Kalanzi, G.b Mukasa Photographer: G Awekofua Illustrators: A Birungi, J Mugisha Printer:
The New Vision Technical Reviewers:: G Kiyingi, National Forestry Authority, G Onyango, FID.
Straight Talk Foundation,
Forestry Inspection Division, Uganda National Tree 45 Bukoto St. Kamwokya,
We are planting trees in our school. Min of Water, Lands and Environ- Seed Centre, PO Box PO Box 22366, Kampala
ment, Baumann Hse, Parliament 23889 Kampala Tel:
Pupils of Koro Abili PS, Gulu Avenue, Kampala Tel: 340684 286049
Tel. 031-262030/1