Wood extractives play a major role in the protection of wood against termite and fungal attack. Wood extractives from three hard wood species of Milicia excelsa, Albizia coriaria and Markhamia lutea that are known to be very resistant against termite attack and fungal decay were studied to assess their role as wood preservatives in Uganda. Acetone, hexane and distilled water were used in the extraction of these compounds from the outer heartwood of the selected durable species. Extraction was done using a soxhlet extractor. e extractives obtained were used to treat Pinus caribaea and Antiaris toxicaria species known to be susceptible to termites and fungal attack. Treated blocks were then exposed to Macrotermes bellicosus termites in the eld. It was observed that wood extracts used as preservatives improved the resistance of less durable samples to termite attack by 50% compared to the controls. It was also observed that removal of extractives decreased resistance of the durable samples. It can be concluded that wood extractives contribute greatly to the protection of less durable wood species against termite attack.

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Echuya forest reserve was gazetted in 1939 and was then mainly a bamboo forest with very few hardwood trees. However, the current ecological situation shows that hardwood trees are replacing bamboo. This study analysed the current ecological situation in relationship to past ecological changes and in£uences. Line transects were laid systematically at 1000 m intervals across the forest in order to describe the current vegetation variation.Echuya forest has changed in size and composition from1954 to the present. The area occupied by pure bamboo has decreased from 20.5% to 12.5%, bamboo^hard wood mixture decreased from 48.2% to 26.2% and pure hardwood stands increased from 16% to 51%. It can be suggested that the exclusion of ¢re, herbivores and human activities after reservation of Echuya have gradually led to the conversion of the grassland^bamboo ecosystem into a hardwood forest ecosystem. Macaranga kilimandscharia Pax. is the major colonizing hardwood tree species. Most of the gaps are covered with heavy loads of Mimulopsis species climbers, which suppress bamboo growth.

This paper evaluates, using logistic and multiple regression analyses, the socio-economic factors that influence farmers' decisions to adopt rotational woodlot technology in the farming systems of Uganda, based on a household survey carried out between May and December 2004, involving 120 farmers in Kigorobya sub-county, Hoima district. The analyses demonstrate that farmers make decisions about woodlot technology based on the household and field characteristics. The factors that significantly influenced the decision to adopt rotational woodlot technology included: gender, tree tenure security, seed supply, contact with extension and research agencies, soil erosion index, size of landholding, fuelwood scarcity, and main source of family income. To promote greater adoption of rotational woodlot technology, particular attention should be placed on the use of appropriate socioeconomic characterization, to better target technologies to areas with greater adoption potential.