Online Reporter
The Herald, 3 December 1988
THE National Tree Day is not just a day for tree planting ceremonies, it marks the beginning of the planting season each year.
The general manager of the Forestry Commission, Cde Yemi Katerere told The Herald this week that the tree planting exercise was supposed to be seen as a continuing exercise meant to provide energy to the people and to facilitate the general conservation of the country’s environment on which all life depended.
“The National Tree Planting Day is a day when we try to mobilise the whole nation and try to conscientise everyone about the importance of trees.
“Trees play a central role in people’s lives and so many other things rely on them. It is in light of this that we are trying to sensitise everyone, not just schoolchildren, to take care of trees,” he said.
The tree planting exercise started on May 23, 1980 as a ceremonial activity involving Government officials. The first programme for the whole nation was held on December 6, the same year. Today’s exercise is the ninth tree planting day.
“The theme for this year is the launching of the Green Belt programme which is an attempt to encourage the rural communities to establish woodlots around their growth points and business centres.
“The commission provides seedlings and fencing materials while the local authorities provide the land.
“The Green Belt programme is like a slogan which focuses on the regreening of the country and increases people’s participation in afforestation activities. “Because the Green Belt programme has increased the number of people participating, we are expecting to plant about five million trees this year,” Cde Katerere said.
The survival rate of trees planted over the past years was over 65 percent, he said. This was determined by surveys carried out by field staff of the State Forestry.
Lessons for today:
- Tree planting is not a one-day event, but the start of an ongoing process. Sustainability requires long-term commitment, not symbolic gestures. The initiative aimed to involve the entire nation, not just officials or schoolchildren. Broad participation creates ownership and ensures success in conservation efforts.
- Waiting for December (National Tree Planting Day in Zimbabwe) isn’t enough to maintain healthy forests. The practice of replacing a tree immediately after cutting one down is a sustainable approach that chiefs and communities are promoting because it prevents deforestation and soil erosion by ensuring the ecosystem remains balanced year-round.
