IN a drive to inspire awareness on deforestation and to observe this year’s National tree Planting Day, youths from the United Methodist Church embarked on a tree planting exercise last week in Chitungwiza.
Vimbai Marufu,Own Correspondent
The event was organised by the United Methodist Church Youth Fellowship from Chitungwiza and Marondera in partnership with the Forestry Commission of Zimbabwe.
The youths planted more than 25 trees.
Speaking at the event, Forestry Commission official Grace Mwanza applauded the effort that was displayed by the young people in taking a stand against deforestation and spoke at length on the role of communities in tree-planting exercises to regain forest cover which is lost.
“Currently, the country is losing its forests at an alarming rate as a result of the country’s power shortages and other various reasons hence forests play a vital role to our livelihoods.
“It is, therefore, the duty of community members to conserve our forests and tree planting exercises are quite commendable,” Mwanza said.
The Forestry Commission says that the country is losing more than 330 000 hectares of woodlands every year fuelled by agricultural expansion, infrastructural development and cutting trees for firewood amongst others.
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The event saw youths from United Methodist Church circuits that included Dombotombo, St Stephen’s, St Matthew’s, Hunyani, Wedza, Zengeza, Svosve and Nenguo among others being taught how to handle seedlings and how to firmly plant and care for them.
Mwanza emphasised the essence of protecting the seedlings and said the forestry commission will be doing a follow–up to see how many plants survive and reach maturity stage.
The youth planted Jacaranda trees at their Zengeza 4 circuit church. Speaking to NewsDay, Community Service Chairperson of the Chitungwiza-Marondera District Tichaona Kanyama voiced concern over the abuse of vegetation by people and said it is their collective responsibility as youths to help in nation building.
The theme for this year’s National tree Planting Day was: Forests for Water and Life.
