This project aims at protecting national resources (forest and wildlife) in Rumbek Counties of South Sudan. The project focuses on sensitizing and educating the community on the essential roles of forest and wildlife in sustaining rural life to enable them respond overwhelmingly to forest and wildlife conservation measures. It will also directly increase total area covered by forest through tree planting. This program will also lobby for enactment of forest conservation laws at National level to ensure sustainable forest and wildlife conservation. The project will be implemented in three phases with the first phase starting in March 2006.The cost of the first phase is £5000. At the end of the programme, total area covered by forest and number of threatened wildlife is expected to double.

Causes of forest and wildlife depletion in South Sudan had been identified and will be tackled at grassroots level. The causes are:

Burning of forests (clearance of bushes)

Cutting of trees

Uncontrolled grazing.

Game hunting (Hunting for wild animals)

This program therefore sets to:

Sensitize & educate the community on the essential role of trees in safeguarding rural life through 2 training workshops (for 50 head teachers, 50 local authorities & 50 community leaders)

Educating the community on basic forest conservation methods

Lobbying for integration of essential role of trees in safeguarding rural life to primary school curriculum through the ministry of education.

Organizing and conducting tree planting sessions by the community and schools

Lobbying for demarcation of land reserved for afforestation (to be done through local leaders)

Training 15 local forest wardens on the forest management and protection skills.

Lobbying for national forest conservation rules and regulation to be enacted by the local Authorities

The program will be monitored through RDF executive committee (comprising of Program director, Field manager, Program development officer & Finance and administration officer). Reports/updates will be send to the donor on a monthly basis. Program impact will be reviewed at the end of 6 months. Either RDF senior management or any person that might be appointed by the donor will do the impact evaluation.