It was therefore fitting that Sherwood Golf Club in Harare marked this day by promoting their ‘going green’ efforts with a tree planting exercise and was supported by a number of local organisations. Indigenous trees were available for purchase and were tagged with the name of the person who bought a tree which will be planted on the golf course. Environment Africa donated 20 indigenous trees to the project.
Harare West MP, who also doubles as the Deputy Minister of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development, Jessie Majome, was Guest of Honour and planted a Kigelia Africana, commonly known as the Sausage Tree ‘Mumvee’ as a symbolic way of showing government’s commitment to conserving and promoting a healthier, greener environment for all.
Chris Rollett of Sherwood Golf Club commented “As our club borders part of the unique Monavale wetlands, it is essential we all work together to save our wetlands. Not only are we committed to tree planting, we use environmentally friendly fertilizers and chemicals on the golf course.”
Sherwood Golf Club is combining their efforts with Cosmo Trust (Conservation Society of Monavale), which was established through the Monavale Residents’ Environmental Action group to prevent development and degradation on Monavale Vlei, Birdlife Zimbabwe, Environment Africa and Meypro (Meyrick Park Resident’s Association) who are very pro active in the community and co-ordinate regular clean ups in the area and also offer residents and their gardeners basic gardening courses which teach the importance of using kitchen and garden refuse to produce organic compost which improves soil fertility and reduces the amount of organic waste going to the city dump.
Steve Davies, Chairperson of COSMO says “Undisturbed wetlands act as carbon sinks, re-supply rivers and streams and save ratepayers money, by providing a natural water purification service. Over the past 15 years Harare’s water table has decreased significantly and the pollution levels have dramatically increased purification costs. We urge community member to be a ‘watchdog’ by questioning any development in our area as a means of helping authorities save the wetlands and guarantee water for the future. We also encourage residents to report the dumping of waste and industrial pollution, digging and removal of topsoil and river sand and lobby our councilors to prohibit informal agriculture on wetlands,”
Sherwood Golf Club’s latest initiative in their ‘green campaign’ is the use of a warehouse on their premises for the location of a Harare Can collection project implemented by Lions Club of Gwebi, represented by Mike Abrahams in partnership with Environment Africa who are coordinating the National Recycling Association of Zimbabwe.
The project is also supported by Delta Corporation, and Collect-a-Can. A can crusher is expected soon and will be located in the warehouse for compacting the thousands of disused beverage cans littering our city. Other organisations represented on the day were Noah’s Park, an organization based in Umwinsidale that is involved in vermiculture (worm farming) with the aim of promoting a sustainable environment and the Miracle Missions Trust who are also involved in cleaning up the city.
The next event on the calendar is Environment Africa’s AGM on the 15th of March, this is open to any interested parties, please contact us at info@environmentafrica.org for further details. World Water Day will take place on 22nd March 2012. Do your bit for Water conservation and contact us at Environment Africa to let us know what you are doing to conserve and promote clean water for all. Working with conservation and communities in Southern Africa. – info@environmentafrica.org
Post published in: Environment