admintwo episodes in every respect.
The group taking part in this year’s walkathon is not only bigger but the level of preparedness among everyone involved is just second to none.
The organisers did their homework, not wanting to leave anything to chance. The corporate world also deserves special mention — they went out of their way despite the prevailing economic hardships to support the work of the FOTE organisers with the necessary resources — financial and material.
Both our sponsors and our organisers did everything they could to ensure that the men and women taking part in this year’s walkathon receive five-star treatment all the way to Mutoko. Our walkers are also in terrific shape and their grasp of what we want to achieve through these walkathons is astounding: Hats off to these men and women who have matured environmentally to become our true ambassadors as far as our tree planting initiatives are concerned.
It was also quite encouraging to see some of the country’s top executives, among them Mr Tim Chiganze of Century Ice, Mr Albert Katsande of OK Zimbabwe and Mr Ralph Watungwa of Standard Chartered Bank taking time off their busy schedules to join our core group of walkers which include Mr Philip Mataranyika, the chief executive officer of Nyaradzo Group.
The Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce and Member of Parliament for Chikomba West, Cde Mike Bimha also took time off his busy schedule to join the walkathon; pledging to take the message to some of his colleagues in the inclusive government to take tree planting seriously.
The walkathon started early in the morning, around 6am from Newlands Shopping Centre and proceeded all the way to Juru Growth where we ended our Day One without an incident.
All in all, this year’s walkathon started with a record to 215 people although most of the top executives and representatives from some of our sponsors dropped out at the tollgate just outside Glen Lorne, along Mutoko Road and at Blue Ridge Supermarket, leaving the core group at about 200 people.
In terms of gender representation, women proved beyond doubt that the days when men used to look down upon them are long gone. Forty percent of the walkers are women.
The journey will conclude in Mutoko tomorrow, being the National Tree Planting Day (NTPD) where FOTE will join the Governor and Resident Minister of Mashonaland East, Cde Aeneas Chigwedere in unveiling the Katsukunya Nursery, funded by OK Zimbabwe Limited.
Lest we forget, the main purpose of our walkathons is to raise awareness about the need to plant more trees and halt the indiscriminate cutting down of the same.
Along the way, it was exciting to note that our advance team had done a splendid job of informing the communities along the Harare Mutoko Road about the walkathon: Most people were looking forward to meeting us. The reception we got from the villagers and farm workers between Harare and Juru was amazing to say the least as hordes of people came out in their numbers to greet us and cheer us on.
Our first stop was Juru Cemetery where we planted 70 tree saplings. We had intended to plant 1 500 trees, but we couldn’t meet the target due to the non-availability of water but all the same the community around the cemetery pledged to look after the trees that we planted.
Because of our failure to meet the target, it means that we have a toll order in terms of meeting the target we have set for ourselves to achieve.
From Juru Cemetery, our next stop was Juru Growth Point (kwaBhora). When we got to Bhora, a carnival atmosphere awaited us. The crowds that had gathered to meet us were treated to unforgettable entertainment, with Pax Gomo and Fungisai Zvakavapano Mashavave showing the kind of stuff they are made of.
Pax got everyone on their feet with his hit “Dzimai Moto”, while Fungisai got the crowds wild with her “Mukadzi Munhu” hit.
It was also clear from the reception we got at Juru on Wednesday that the message about what we all need to do to restore our environment is reaching far and wide as people responded well to our quiz show. We also reached this conclusion from our interactions with the audience and the communities along the way.
Shops at Juru Growth Point also cashed in on some of our walkers who had made the mistake of wearing sneakers instead of rafters which are suitable for such long journeys on foot.
We concluded our first day at St Johns Chikwaka High School where our host accommodated everyone for the evening.
Yesterday, we were scheduled to continue from where we left on Wednesday, passing through Zhombe Primary School and Murewa Primary and Secondary Schools where we were scheduled to plant more trees.
The day will not just end there.
Leonard Zhakata, whose passion for the environment has been making news of late, is expected to perform at Murewa Centre. We are however, still to confirm other artistes who will perform on the day.
The journey will conclude in Mutoko tomorrow, being the National Tree Planting Day where FOTE will join the Governor and Resident Minister of Mashonaland East, Cde Aeneas Chigwedere in unveiling the Katsukunya Nursery, funded by OK Zimbabwe Limited.
But just briefly, about the Mahogany Tree, which is the tree for this year’s NTPD.
Each year, the organisers of the NTPD come together to pick a specific tree that would be planted as part of countrywide events marking this important day. In choosing the correct type of tree to be planted in a particular year, the organisers do not just pick on a wild card from the pack.
Theirs is to put their thinking caps on to ensure that the type of tree planted on this important day influences the environmental outcomes. A practical solution is to plant tough, fast growing native trees which can help rebuild the land. One can imagine the impact a wrong choice of a tree can have on the environment — it can devastate the lands of the local people and diminish their yields.
It is therefore precisely for this reason that environmentalists advocate only indigenous trees be planted. In this regard, knowledge about the country’s geography is important. The local organisers of the NTPD have never let the country down on this one; they have consistently made sure that they pick on a tree that is grown in most parts of the country so that every province identifies itself with the NTPD, which is commemorated every first Saturday of December. To the uninitiated, the choice of a tree is guided by many factors, among them;
The tree should be an indigenous tree, adaptable to local soils;
The tree must be one that adds value to communities by way of its food or economic value;
The tree must be resistance to drought, fruit bearing or have medicinal properties etc.
Once again, the organisers have continued with their tradition. For the coming National Tree Planting Day, the organisers have settled for the red mahogany tree whose scientific name is eucalyptus resinifera. In the vernacular shona, the red mahogany tree is popularly known as Mururu tree.
Red Mahogany is a hardwood with a fine grain and stunning red colouring. It is a versatile wood suitable for engineering applications and for use in construction.
Due to its attractive figure, it is prized for furniture and turnery. Red Mahogany has become a prestigious timber due to its durability, termite resistance and rare colouring.
Different species of Red Mahogany grow in different regions. Trees of this species reach a height of 40-45m with 1-1,5m trunk diameter. The bark is fibrous, shallow to coarsely fissured, and persists on even the small branches.
Different species have differently coloured bark; E. resinifera being greyish to reddish-brown and E. pellita being reddish-brown to brown.
Red Mahogany is a dense, durable timber. The heartwood ranges from red to dark red, but sapwood is distinctively paler. The even grain is generally moderatley textured, displaying the occasional gum vein, and at times the grain is interlocked producing an attractive figure.
The density of the timber varies depending on its source; plantation grown 8,5 year-old timber has 70 percent of the density of natural grown timber, creating some variance in hardness.
The common uses of Red Mahogany include wharf and bridge construction, railway sleepers and in mining timbers. It is used for a wide range of interior and exterior purposes in general construction and can be made into indoor and outdoor furniture. Other uses include boat building, coach, vehicle and carriage building and structural plywood.
The fruits are gumnuts, which are hemispherical or ovoid in shape, 5 to 11 mm long, 5 to 10 mm in diameter wide and borne on relatively long stems.
The disc is flat or raised and the valves are exserted, prominently pointing out of the gumnut. The prominent operculi (and slightly furrowed bark) distinguish Red Mahogany from other stringybarks.
The timber of Red Mahogany is well regarded for its high quality, being very hard and heavy, and having dark-red heartwood. It has multiple uses including flooring, panelling, cladding, boat building, railroad ties and general construction. It is also a good choice for making poles and charcoal.
Red Mahogany has wildlife value as a food tree for koalas.
Online Reporter