When Shelanyili boldly banned bushfires outright it sparked conflicts and forced both the community and their neighbors to reckon with both protecting tradition while adapting to climate change.

Trees are the looming lifelines of our planet, and their roots run deep in rural Uganda. But in Morungatuny burning them for charcoal was the main economic driver of the economy. And trees were needed for firewood for cooking and building. The rates of consumption soon outpaced the availability...