Uganda’s natural forests have been depleted through illegal and unsustainable harvesting practices. According to the U.N. FAO, 15.2% or about 2,988,000 ha of Uganda is forested.   Between 1990 and 2010, Uganda lost an average of 88,150 ha or 1.86% per year, leading to a loss of 37.1% of its forest cover estimated at around 1,763,000 ha.

Government projects that the national target for plantations should be 75,000 hectares of commercial timber plantations by 2025 which translates to planting needs of 3,500 hectares per annum. There is current acute shortage of timber which has led to increases in timber prices. The forestry subsector has been summarised to include forest plantation farming

In 2010, Uganda had a total of 2.6 million hectares of forest land compared to 4.9 million hectares in 1990. This is a reduction of 46.9 percent over a period of 20 years. As a proportion, in 1990, forests covered 20.4 percent of the land area of the country. Table 1.2.1 gives the forest cover areas and changes between 1990 and 2010.

Table 1.2.1: Forest Cover changes between 1990, 2005 and 2010

Broad leaved  Conifer Plantations  THF well stocked  THF low stocked Wood land  Total Forest Cover
Year/ Land cover/use Plantations
2010 (hectares)19,436 38,472 659,228 127,6231,775,041 2,619,679
2005 (hectares) 14,841 18,767 542,787 201,6442,816,423 3,594,462
1990 (hectares) 18,682 16,384 651,110 273,0623,974,508 4,933,746

Change (2005- 2010)

Percentage Change in

 4,595 19,705 116,441 -74,021-1,152,803 -1,086,083

Area (2005-2010)

Annual percentage change

 31 105 21 -37-37 -27
(2005-2010) 6.19 21.00 4.29 -7.34-7.40 -5.42
Change (1990- 2005) -3,841 2,383 -108,323 -71,417-1,158,085 -1,339,284

Percentage  Change in

Area over 15 years

Annual percentage

 -21 15 -17 -26-29 -27
change (1990-2005) -1.37 0.97 -1.11 -1.74-1.94 -1.81
            

THF: Tropical High Forest   Source: National Forestry Authority