According to Councillor Stewart Musarurwa Mutizwa,of the Health and Environment department, says the planting of indigenous trees was prompted by the fact that indigenous trees have a longer life span compared to exotic trees that are predominant in the streets and environs of Harare.
Car parking needs, wider roads and “development” have seen the clearance of large numbers of Jacaranda and Flamboyant trees. Parts of Third Street and Cameron Street give a hint of what the much more widespread central woods once looked like.
“We will be replacing some of the trees that have seen a life-span of 30 to 40 years. Already we have over 2000 indigenous tree seeds at our Hillside nursery waiting to be planted. The city’s environs has been adversely affected by deforestation caused by wood poachers who have a found a lucrative market due power-cuts,” said Mutizwa.
He urged motorists not to drive over the new trees, saying many small trees planted in the last two years had been destroyed by careless motorists who just drove over them.
“We are contemplating having more one-ways and improved parking space so that the planted trees will have high chances of survival,” he added.
According to the latest Zimbabwe Environment Outlook, deforestation has increased in Harare and its environs. Figures show that woodland hectarage has decreased by 6 percent due to deforestation from 17, 653 to 16,588ha, while bush land has decreased from 5,507 to 4,799ha.
This is largely due to frequent power outages and loading shedding as the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority has struggled to supply electricity under the harsh economic environment.
Areas like the Cleveland Protected Zone, which forms part of Mukuvisi River Catchment, have been virtually cleared of forest and woodland through illegal firewood extraction.
Post published in: News