adminBulawayo BureauTHE country has recorded a drop in the cutting down of trees during the lockdown period, Forestry Commission general manager, Mr Abedinigo Marufu has said.
He said reports of firewood poachers intercepted with truckloads of firewood had dropped drastically, but said isolated cases of people cutting commercial timber from plantations still exist.
“The lockdown has done a lot of good when we are looking at the state of forests and deforestation, said Mr Marufu. Cutting of firewood has been a major problem leading to deforestation.
“On a daily basis we usually have our officers intercepting trucks carrying loads of firewood. Some of the people who will be transporting the firewood are tobacco farmers who need firewood for tobacco curing. With the prevailing lockdown, these activities have dropped.”
Some of the loads would be for people that sell firewood, while others would be for people that use firewood in businesses such as restaurants. The lockdown has deprived roadside firewood vendors of a market since many people are largely at home, while electricity supply has been steady during this period.
In Lupane, poachers harvest teak timber, but they are being arrested.
In the northern parts of the country mainly in Kanyemba and Muzarabani, both in Mashonaland Central Province, and in Hwange, Matabeleland North Province, some people are cutting mopane trees to make charcoal which they later sell at growth points.
In Manicaland, poachers are harvesting commercial timber in concessions during the night and some of it is taken to as far as Bulawayo. Mr Marufu said their officers were on the ground to ensure such people were brought to book. He raised concern over cases where mopane trees were being cut down in Matabeleland South Province, especially in Gwanda, by people wanting to harvest mopane worms.
With the fire season about to start, farmers are advised to prepare fire-guards to protect woodlots.
Online Reporter