Forestry & Community Officer
Steven Rasul Ojok is a Forestry & Community Officer with UCF’s Murchison Falls programme. Originally from Purongo in Nwoya District, Steven’s career with UCF began as a community scout, before completing a range of vocational and practical training courses supported by UCF and delivered through Pacer Community Polytechnic.
Steven has since become a core member of UCF’s community development and landscape restoration team, working directly with communities surrounding Murchison Falls National Park. He has helped propagate, distribute, plant and manage more than one million indigenous trees, provided free to local communities alongside practical training and long-term support.
The programme combines restoration with livelihoods and human-wildlife conflict mitigation. Fruit trees are planted away from the protected-area boundary, while indigenous timber species, including Giant Lira and Lira, are established closer to the park, providing future community resources while helping reduce pressure on natural habitats.
Steven’s progression reflects UCF’s commitment to developing local skills, employment and conservation leadership.