Call for application on grant writing training
- 05-05-2025
- 464
The Center of Excellence in Biodiversity and Natural resource Management (CoEB) at the University of Rwanda (UR) in collaboration with the Rwanda Forestry Authority (FRA) has launched the Legacy Tree Project. Large legacy or heritage trees are old, large native trees that remain in working landscapes surrounded by agriculture, human settlements, and urbanization. These trees contribute to ecosystem services and represent nature’s benefits to people. They may serve as a source of seed stock for replanting efforts and could be used to promote traditional knowledge and people’s connection to nature. Through this project, we aim at identifying and mapping the large native legacy trees remaining in the working landscapes of Rwanda and use them to promote biodiversity conservation and identify sources of native species’ seeds. We will focus on areas outside the national parks and protected areas.
Large legacy trees can be found in agricultural landscapes, community-owned forests, private forests, woodlots, villages and towns. The trees could have been present in the landscape for a very long time, many, many years and they may be remarkable or associated with stories in the community. The trees may tell you a story when you see them. A legacy tree must be at least 50 cm in diameter, measured at 1.4 meters on the trunk from the ground up. These are very big trees that are too big to get your arms around in a hug.
We invite you to join us in this activity to identify the large legacy trees remaining anywhere outside of national parks in the Rwandan landscape within your respective districts. We are inviting district authorities to mobilize their forestry and environmental officers, cooperatives and other groups, to help citizens identify and record the large legacy trees in their district. We encourage men, women, and youth to get actively involved in identifying these special trees.
Different awards categories will be given to the winners !