Zim surpasses tree planting target

Cletus Mushanawani
ZIMBABWE managed to surpass is target of planting trees by 2,4 million during the 2013/2014 planting season.
Addressing a Press Conference at Zanu-PF Headquarters in Harare on Tuesday, the Minister of Environment, Water and Climate Change, Cde Saviour Kasukuwere, said the country managed to plant 12, 4 million trees out of the targeted 10 million in the last tree planting season.

“I have always said that tree planting is everyone’s responsibility and I am happy that many people are stepping up to that responsibility and actively participating in tree planting activities.

“The target for this planting season is 15 million and I am challenging Zimbabweans to work together so that we achieve even more than last season,” said Cde Kasukuwere.

This year’s National Tree Planting Day will be commemorated at the venue for the 6th Zanu-PF National People’s Congress where President Mugabe will officiate tomorrow (Saturday).

Running under the theme: “Forests for Food Security and Nutrition”, the tree of the year is Bolusanthus speciosus, Mukweshangoma or Mupaka in Shona, Impaca or Umbambangwe in Ndebele, while the English name is Wisteria.

The tree is an indigenous one.

While efforts are being made to plant more trees, Cde Kasukuwere bemoaned the rate of deforestation which currently stands at 330 000 hectares per annum.

“As we move closer to the National Tree Planting Day, I just want to stress the importance of the tree planting campaign to the country.

“Trees and forests are vital to our livelihoods and it is our responsibility as a nation to ensure that they are conserved for future generations.

“I also urge the media to assist my Ministry and the Forestry Commission to reach out to the communities with the message to plant and protect more trees so that we can arrest the rate of deforestation which currently stands at 330 000 hectares per annum.

“Let us all remember that the journey does not end with planting a tree. We need to protect and nurture the trees to ensure their maturity. Threats like veld fires, livestock damage, termite attack and other biotic and abiotic factors that we know remain a cause for concern as they may set back our afforestation efforts,” he said.

Cde Kasukuwere said this year’s tree planting campaign theme was chosen to promote an understanding of the crucial role that forests, trees and agro-forestry systems can play in improving the food security and nutrition of communities.

He hailed Friends of the Environment for supporting tree planting through the establishment of nurseries across the country and raising awareness through their annual walk-a-thon (Walk for Trees).

The walk-a-thon started on Tuesday and will end today (Friday). This year people are walking from Bulawayo to Gwanda, planting trees along the way.