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13 November, 2011
STAKEHOLDERS in the environment sector will hold a march on tree-planting.
The march, held under an organisation called Friends of the Environment, comes at a time reports indicate the country is losing 33 000 hectares of trees every year.
The march, known as a walkathon, will take place from November 27 to December 2. Friends of the Environment chairman Mr Phillip Mataranyika, said in an interview that they targeted to have a capacity of 500 000 seedlings per nursery by 2015.
“The Forestry Commission had 37 nurseries in the ’90s and was planning on 11 new ones,” he said. “I am informed that at their peak, they did four million tree seedlings per year from all the nurseries they had.
“Our plan is to get corporate Zimbabwe to adopt all of them. We would like to create another 52 by 2015 which will take our tally to 100. Our target is to have a capacity of 500 000 seedlings per nursery also by 2015.”
Mr Mataranyika said the Forestry Company would provide technical assistance and expertise.
He said they chose Manicaland Province as a destination because it is home to most agro-forest businesses and plantations.
“It also has its fair share of deforestation occasioned by veld fires and tobacco curing activities by our framers,” he said.
Mr Mataranyika urged people to plant trees.
“Trees are life. Let us show love for future generations by leaving them a legacy of forests.”
Last year’s march took place from Gweru to Harare.
A number of trees were planted along the way by the stakeholders.
LESSONS FOR TODAY
Tomorrow (December 5), marks the 40th anniversary of the National Tree Planting Day.
Known as “the tree of life”, the baobab or “muuyu/mumbuyu” (Shona) and “umkhomo” (siNdebele) is the 2020 tree.
The baobab tree’s significance in the socio-cultural, political and economic narrative of Zimbabwe cannot be missed.
Like the mighty Victoria Falls and the Great Zimbabwe monument, the majestic baobab tree is “an icon of the African continent” and “a symbol of life and positivity in a landscape where little else can thrive”. It grows in 32 African countries and survives for up to 5 000 years.
Trees absorb pollutant gases such as nitrogen oxide, ozone, ammonia, sulphur dioxide. Trees also absorb odours and act as a filter as little particles get trapped in leaves.
Trees are the oldest living organisms on the planet. Not only are they aesthetically beautiful, they also offset environmental impacts and create a healthy, clean environment for us to enjoy.
The first obvious benefit of planting trees is that they create homes for wildlife. Dozens of critters, insects, and birds use trees as shelter and food sources.
Planting trees contributes to growing the diversity of flora and fauna in the environment.
Depending on the type of tree that’s planted, additional flowers, leaves, and fruits are used by the wildlife. The waste of these also enriches the soil once they fall, creating even more places for wildlife to burrow underneath for safety and security.
Online Reporter