5 Acres Initiative
Through a Memorandum of Understanding between ESTOA and the Association for Conservation of Bugoma Forest, we invite tour operators to invest in Every 5 Acres project to offset their carbon emissions and help regenerate the habitat of chimpanzees and mangabeys, which are endangered with extinction.
The project’s goal is simple and concrete: to acquire 100 acres of land bordering the Bugoma Forest Reserve and restore it with indigenous trees, creating new habitat for endangered species such as chimpanzees and Uganda mangabeys, while offering a transparent, nature-based solution for carbon emission compensation.
As of 2026, 20 acres have already been secured, and the project grows through the direct involvement of tour operators and travellers.
- A returned tickets from central Europe to Uganda is on average 16.000 km in total, with average emissions of 100 g per km, for a total of 3,2 tons of CO2.
- The transfers in Uganda are on average 1.500 km with a four-wheel drive vehicle with average 3 / 4 passengers per vehicle which is equal to 0,1 tons of CO2.
- The overall estimate of the carbon emissions for one tourist is 3,5 tons of CO2 which requires compensation by acquiring 3 carbon credits and half or equivalent.
How the Project Works
Each contribution to Every 5 Acres supports three core components:
- Land acquisition (each acre legally purchased at approx. €2,000 / USD 2,300)
- Tree planting (around 400 trees per acre; 35,000 trees needed in total)
- Carbon emission compensation, equivalent to the acquisition of carbon credits
Once fully planted, each acre absorbs approximately 5 tons of CO₂ per year, allowing the full project area to offset 500 tons of CO₂ annually, equivalent to the emissions of at least 140 tourists per year.
How can you participate as ESTOA Member
- €30 / USD per traveller: a simple carbon compensation fee that can be applied to each booking in Uganda
- Annual contributions: support land acquisition and tree planting at a larger scale
- Each donation of a minimum of $500 earns ESTOA a commission of 7%
This model allows you to:
- Clearly explain carbon compensation to your clients
- Integrate sustainability into your products in a practical way
- Contribute directly to conservation on the ground
Payment is made to Association for Conservation of Bugoma Forest (ACBF) a no profit organization.
- By Bank
Name of account: Association for Conservation of Bugoma Forest
Account Number: 51585702020501 (USD)
Bank Name and Address: I & M Bank (Uganda) Limited Plot 6/6A Kampala Road
Swift code: ORINUGKA
- Donate online through online GoFundMe
We would be pleased to discuss how further Every 5 Acres can fit into your sustainability approach and strengthen the shared values of ESTOA.
