Ever increasing threats to forests

Stephen Ephraem
“WHAT we are doing to the forests of the world is but a mirror reflection of what we are doing to ourselves and to one another,” said Indian leader Mahatma Gandi.

Gandi’s sentiment points to mankind’s tendency of destroying life regardless of its form. People have an inclination to bad behaviour like cheating, stealing, lying and worse still killing others. The energy they use to justify ill behaviour is the same they employ to destroy nature. If a person can kill a soul, what stops him from destroying forests?

United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation states that the deforestation rate this decade is 8.5 percent higher than in the 1990s. What are some of the threats our forests are facing?

Defensive culture

The major threat to our declining forests is the defensive culture that communities hold. Forests are dying due to acts of veld fires, poaching and encroachment. Government arms like Forestry Commission, Civil Protection Unit and Environmental Management Agency as well as NGOs are trying their level best to educate communities on the need to refrain from destructive activities like causing veld fires. When such awareness is given, some people simply ignore the message and continue burning forests. This leaves law enforcement agents with no option than bringing the culprits to book. There comes the real issue. How do people respond?

Community member prefer to frustrate efforts by the police in apprehending the culprits. When Manicaland province lost 67 909ha of forests to fires, did any community member or the community accepted responsibility? How many arsonists were flushed out by communities? Can we say the police force is full of amateurs who have no clue whatsoever on how to crackdown on the offenders or these communities are too protective to these rotten apples of society?

Since community deny knowledge of wrongdoers, can we conclude that the so-called aliens from other planets are to blame for the poaching and veld fires? Are the communities made up of strangers?

The defensive culture is a serious threat to our forests.

Fuel wood

Wood has been the traditional fuel source in rural Africa. Urban dwellers used to take prestige in the use of electricity and alternative like coal and paraffin for heating and cooking. The rural folk used to harvest dead wood conserving live wood for future use.

With the current scenario whereby Southern African countries are facing electricity shortages, forests have become under pressure. Truckload of wood and charcoal are witnessed on daily speeding up and down urban centres. According to Forestry Commission, in Chipinge the charcoal trade is becoming a cancer that now eats the core of our forests.

The District Forestry Officer Mr Clasport Karimanzira said: “We are losing a lot of trees to charcoal traders. Initially natives didn’t make charcoal for commercial purposes. The cancer spread when they realised how people at Tongogara Refugee Camp were making a killing out of charcoal dealing.

“Now, areas like Chipinge Ward 6, Bhondi and Mandifura are hives for charcoal making. If we are not careful, Bangazaan Dam which supplies water to Chipinge town shall silt up in four years. I encourage all stakeholders, especially the town and rural district councils to enhance their presence in the fight against charcoal poachers.”

Chiredzi is not spared either.

Chief Gudo, of Chiredzi North, lamented on rampant fuel wood poaching.

“My area is where the Save Valley Conservancy lies. A lot of people are crossing Save River from Checheche in Chipinge South to poach wood. It is difficult to stop these poachers because whenever you try to engage them, they become violent,” bemoaned Chief Gudo.

Bad agricultural practice

Traditionally, slash-and-burn agriculture is very common in Africa. This is where farmers in non-commercial settlements clear vast tracks of land to get fertile land. The ash obtained from the burnt trees is then used as fertiliser. The practice is repeated every year and is one of the major causes of veld fires.

The forests are under threat.