Rampant deforestation in hwange

ILLEGAL cutting down of trees, particularly live mopani for firewood and charcoal for sale, is reportedly on the increase in Hwange District where those involved have resorted to doing the dirty business at night to evade law enforcement agencies.

The sale of charcoal is prevalent around Hwange where there are vast stretches of natural mopani tree woodlots and poachers sell firewood and charcoal along the Bulawayo-Victoria Falls Highway.

Occasional raids by police and officers from Forestry Commission, Environmental Management Agency and Hwange Rural District Council (HRDC) have seen the poachers using the cover of darkness to push the illegal business.

Mopani tree is a specially protected resource that is irreplaceable as it takes about 50 years on average to grow.

Speaking during the recent Zimbabwe International Trade Fair, HRDC Environment and Natural Resources Officer, Mr Nxolelani Ncube, said Hwange has vast natural resources such as forests, minerals, wildlife and others whose exploitation leads to environmental pollution and degradation.

There have been concerns about air pollution around the coal mining town, and discharge of effluent from mines into rivers, which has led to death of aquatic life and affects livestock, noise from mines and land degradation.

Mr Ncube said every mining entity that is within Hwange had been compelled to have environmental management strategies and make sure pollution levels are managed while communities have also been implored to be responsible.

However, demand to cheaper energy sources, especially in urban areas, is fuelling the cutting down of trees in rural areas.

“The 2023 to 2024 season has been very bad hence people are now going to seek for livelihoods sources from natural resources. The issue of charcoal has been going on for quite some time but as stakeholders such as Zimparks, Forestry Commission, HRDC, EMA and police we have done quite a lot in terms of awareness in hot spot areas,” said Mr Ncube.

“We have done awareness at the source but there are people who consume charcoal and are the key drivers of charcoal business. 

“Electricity is a challenge in cities and the target market is in the cities. We think that awareness has been falling on deaf ears and communities have now decided to make charcoal at night hence we want to look at the market,” said Mr Ncube.

He said there is need to empower communities to embrace alternative and smart energy sources and other means of survival such as solar energy and biogas as opposed to cutting down trees.

Mr Ncube said the vast sunshine in Hwange is an opportunity for solar energy investment.

He said awareness campaigns had been done using different structures including traditional leaders. Demand for firewood and charcoal increases during winter.

“Consumers of charcoal are equally at fault by giving this illegal activity a ready market. We are trying our level best with other stakeholders to make sure we break the value chain including transporters because this is poaching,” said Mr Ncube. 

“We, therefore, appeal to the judiciary to hand down punitive sentences to anyone dragged to court.

“Cutting down dead wood and using it at household level is allowed but the problem comes when we cut live trees and commercialise. We have no problem with people utilising dead wood but cutting down live mopani trees, which is a specially protected tree.” 

Operations against charcoal dealers have been launched previously by local authorities, Forestry Commission, police and EMA although it is not clear how many people have been arrested before.

Dealers use especially haulage trucks and private vehicles to carry the charcoal at night. Speaking in Hwange recently, former Environment, Climate and Wildlife Minister Nqobizitha Mangaliso Ndlovu who is now Industry and Commerce Minister implored communities to look for alternative energy sources instead of destroying the veld.

He said in tobacco growing communities villagers have invested in tobacco wood energy by planting trees that mature in 10 to 15 years. 

He said strengthening of Campfire will empower communities and encourage them to jealously guard their environment. 

Chronicle