Kampala — PRESIDENT Yoweri Museveni has rejected a proposal to construct a youth centre in the 4.27 hectare Banda forest reserve.

"I have learnt that you have identified land for the National Youth Centre in the Banda-Kyambogo area, near Nabinsusa Girls School. I understand it belongs to the National Forestry Authority (NFA)," said Museveni in a letter of February 14, addressed to the gender ministry.

"We are trying to preserve the forests, so the idea of degazetting the reserve is not acceptable."

The President said: "I request you to identify land elsewhere. It does not have to be near the city."

He explained that the reserve was good for research and as a tree nursery.

The NFA public relations manager, Moses Watasa, said: "We are happy about it. We need support from the President, not only in Banda, but also in other gazetted areas that are faced with encroachment."

Watasa said conservation groups had persistently campaigned against degazettement proposals.

Two years ago, Museveni backed a proposal by the Mehta Group of companies to take over part of Mabira Forest for a sugarcane plantation.

This sparked off protests from environmentalists, who criticised the move as one which would cause negative ecological and social implications.

Museveni also issued an executive order three years ago, stopping environmental institutions from evicting encroachers from forest reserves and wetlands.

However, the President is credited for elevating the conservation status of Kibale, Mt. Elgon, Rwenzori and Bwindi forest reserves into national parks in the 1980s.

He recently resolved to protect lakeshore forests. "There used to be a forest around Lake Victoria. When there is surface run off and there is no forest, all the soil goes into the lake. If there is a belt of undergrowth, it acts as a natural filter. We should act firm and say, nobody should cut this forest," he said.