President Mnangagwa urges communities to plant and protect trees

Harare (New Ziana)- The government will scale up implementation of the National Environmental Master Plan to ensure the country’s forests are protected, President Emmerson Mnangagwa said on Thursday.

He said this at an annual tree planting ceremony which coincides with the yearly ruling Zanu PF National People’s Conferences and with the 7th party Congress this year.

President Mnangagwa said the continued loss of trees and forests was worrisome.

“I direct stakeholders in the environment sub-sector to implement the National Environmental Action Plan and other strategies towards scaling up afforestation programmes,” he said.

“At the global level, hectares of forest land continue to be lost through the conversion of land for various uses. In our case, a number of factors are causing deforestation. We must therefore urge our communities to continue implementing measures to protect our natural resources.

“Forests provide physical products and ecosystem services. These include among others, a habitat for land-based species, climate change mitigation, buffering storms and floods, provision of shelter and jobs as well as security for forest-dependent communities.”

President Mnangagwa said recent wildfires, some which have led to the loss of human life, were a cause for concern.

At least 10 people died recently at a farm in Umzingwane district, Matabeleland South province while they were trying to put out a wildfire.

“I have since directed the Ministry of Environment, Climate, Tourism and Hospitality Industry to review its Fire Management Strategy to ensure that we prevent further losses of life, property and the environment in a similar manner,” he said.

President Mnangagwa said the tree planting event came as the world approached the first anniversary of the Glasgow Declaration, under which world leaders undertook to fight climate change through enhancing forest and land use management.

“To achieve this feat, tree planting and forest conservation must be extended to all land-users; rural and urban areas alike. As we intensify the Clean-up and Beautification of our Cities, Towns and Growth Points, I look forward to an increasingly improved natural landscape, covered with a variety of plants, which also contributes to climate change mitigation,” he said.

“Delegates to the 7th National People’s Congress and all other Zimbabweans countrywide are challenged to take today’s tree planting event as a precursor to widespread tree planting during the forthcoming tree planting season.

“Let us remain cognisant of the fact that trees are life and let’s continue to entrench conservation and environmental stewardship.”

New Ziana