As a community cantered development organization, the Rural Development Inter-Diocesan Service (RDIS) has since 2007 taken interest to contribute towards the reduction of global warming that has largely been a result of: poor land use and management: Over 80% of the Rwandan population depends on agriculture. The population uses poor farming techniques that have led to soil exhaustion. The latter is land clearing in attempt to look for farming land that can be source of food to the increasing population that is increasing while the available land being static. Despite having limited land (less than half hectare), the population growth rate is increasing. This has increased the population pressure on the environment thus leading to increased deforestation, land clearing for farming purposes.

Please read also some updates here: PROJECT FINAL REPORT - ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION AND CARE 2019-2020

Whereas the government has a well developed policy on environmental conservation, there are still insufficient funds to establish, run and manage tree nursery beds.
RDIS has therefore for a long time collaborated with government leadership especially at the local level (District, Sectors, Cells and Villages) in establishment, running and managing nursery beds, which reach nearly half of the population of Rwanda from Gitarama (RDIS headquarter) to Cyangugu, i.e. in the Southern and Western Provinces.

The overall goal of the project is to have an environmentally friendly, ecologically stable and economically flourishing Rwanda for the benefit of the people of Rwanda. By the end of December 2017 the project will have distributed and aided to plant 200,000 tree seedlings for fruit and agro-forestry. Each tree nursery bed has 25,000 seedlings for agro-forestry, i.e. forestry and fruit trees.

The seedlings are planted by individual households for timber, firewood, fruit, soil conservation, livestock fodder, income generation, shade etc. Some are planted in community woodlots and public places like on the road belts.

In the long term, planted trees will reduce the carbon emitted in the atmosphere and will restore the soil fertility, which has been exhausted.

Tree nursery beds are located in the following communities of Rusizi and Nyamasheke districts:

1. Kamabuye tree nursery is situated in Kamabuye village in Nkaka sector in Rusizi District, 13 km from Kamembe Airport;
2. Gisuma tree nursery is situated in Rumanga, Impala cell, Bushenge sector in Nyamasheke District at 48 km from Cyangugu town;
3. Nyakabingo nursery is situated in Kajongo village in the parish of Nyakabingo at 45 km from Cyangugu town to Nyamasheke District;
4. Bugarama nursery is situated in Bugarama village, in the sector of Bugarama at 40 km from Cyangugu town to Cemerwa;
5. Cyato nursery is situated in Nyakarenzo sector in Rusizi district, 16km from the main road to Bugarama-Cemerwa;
6. Nkombo nursery bed is situated in Mparwa cell, Nkombo sector, Rusizi district
7. Gashonga nursery bed is situated in Gashonga in Misave village, Rusayo cell in Gashonga sector-Rusizi district;
8. Gisakura nursery bed is located in Bushekeri sector in Nyamasheke district, 8km from the main road.