The Inter-Religious Council of Uganda (IRCU) is deeply committed to responsible stewardship of the nation’s natural resources, including forests, which play a vital role in sustaining life and supporting communities.

On July 21, 2025, the IRCU Council of Presidents, led by the Most Rev. Dr. Stephen Kaziimba, held a productive engagement with officials from the National Forestry Authority (NFA). The authority is in charge of at least 1.2million hectares of central forest reserves across the country.

Some reports indicate that the country loses at 120,000 hectares of forest cover annually with most of this loss happening in private forest lands.

The IRCU-NFA meeting focused on exploring how religious leaders can actively contribute to afforestation efforts and broader environmental conservation initiatives across Uganda.

Through collaborative action and moral leadership, IRCU aims to inspire communities to care for the environment as a sacred responsibility.