Environmental conservation efforts continue to gain momentum as public and private institutions join campaigns to restore Uganda's degraded ecosystems.

Today, Equity Bank Uganda, in partnership with My Tree Initiative Uganda, planted 1,500 trees at Kyasanku Hill College in Mpigi District as part of efforts to combat climate change.

Uganda continues to grapple with the devastating effects of climate change, environmental degradation, and declining forest cover.

Earlier this week, while presenting the State of the Environment Report 2024 during the National Biodiversity Symposium 2026, Dr. Richard Komakech, the Principal Research and Innovations Officer at the National Environment Management Authority (NEMA), revealed that Uganda has lost significant forest cover, a trend that has contributed to deteriorating air quality beyond the standards recommended by the World Health Organization.

As governments, conservation organizations, and environmental activists intensify campaigns to restore nature through tree planting, more private institutions are stepping forward to support the cause.

One such initiative was witnessed today at Kyasanku Hill College in Mpigi District, where Equity Bank Uganda, in partnership with My Tree Initiative Uganda, planted 1,500 trees to contribute to environmental restoration and climate resilience.

Kyambadde commended Equity Bank and My Tree Initiative for complementing government efforts to conserve the environment.

She urged Ugandans to abandon indiscriminate tree cutting for charcoal production and instead embrace tree planting, saying trees are essential for improving air quality, attracting rainfall, preventing soil erosion, conserving biodiversity, and protecting communities from the impacts of climate change.

Equity Bank's Manager for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Virginia Ssemakula, said the bank remains committed to promoting sustainable environmental practices through partnerships with schools and conservation organisations.

She noted that such collaborations are intended to restore degraded landscapes while creating a greener and healthier future for generations to come.

The team lead of My Tree Initiative Uganda, Ashiraf Bukenya, said the organization has so far planted more than 4.5 million trees across Uganda. He explained that restoring tree cover plays a critical role in improving oxygen levels, reducing the risks of wildfires, protecting water sources, preserving wildlife habitats, preventing soil erosion, and mitigating the effects of climate change.

Hosting the exercise, the head teacher of Kyasanku Hill College, Leonard Ssennyonjo, welcomed the initiative, describing it as an important investment in both education and environmental protection. He pledged to dedicate at least two of the school's eleven acres to tree planting and called upon more organizations to extend similar initiatives to schools across the country.

Environmental experts maintain that reversing the effects of climate change requires collective action through restoring degraded ecosystems and increasing tree cover.

With another 1,500 trees now added to Uganda's growing restoration efforts, conservationists hope such partnerships will inspire more communities and institutions to take an active role in protecting the environment.