Harare, Forestry Commission in deforestation blitz

Harare Metropolitan Province has joined with the Forestry Commission of Zimbabwe in a national blitz programme against illegal activities that are causing significant deforestation.

The programme which started on August 2, comes at a time when Zimbabwe has been losing an average of 262 349 hectares of forestry per annum.

In a statement, Harare Metropolitan Province provincial development coordinator, Tafadzwa Muguti said it was important to conserve forests as they are important in the climate change fight.

“Trees and forests constitute the major carbon sink that removes atmospheric carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to minimise global warming, thus controlling the progression of climate change and they also act as an essential link in the hydrological circle which is responsible for rainfall formation,” he said.

Mr Muguti said they were deploying agents to ensure compliance from the public.

“As Harare Metropolitan Province we join the rest of the nation in the judicious implementation of the nationwide blitz program to stem illegal activities involving forestry-based resources.

“The population of Harare is a major consumer of firewood and charcoal, yet it does not have significant trees and forests from which the demand for wood-based energy would be met. This means there is somewhere in Zimbabwe where this firewood must be coming from,” he said

“However, there is need for compliance with the Forest Act (Chapter 19:05), which governs the acquisition, movement and trading of firewood.

“Harare Metropolitan Province will be participating in the nationwide blitz by deploying its teams namely the Forestry Commission, the Zimbabwe Republic Police, the Environmental Management Agency and Municipal Police to all timber, firewood and charcoal activity hotspots.

“The teams will be conducting round-the-clock patrols and strategic roadblocks throughout the Province to check on, and stem the prevalence of firewood, charcoal sales and other related environmental crimes.”

Mr Muguti added that anyone found processing or selling timber without requisite license from Forestry Commission will risk their timber and equipment being confiscated.