Environmentalist plants 89 000 trees

By Silas Nkala | Apr. 5, 2023

ENVIRONMENTALIST and national tree ambassador of Zimbabwe, Never Bonde says 89 000 trees have been planted in Bulawayo suburbs to fight climate change effects and rampant deforestation as people resort to firewood for cooking due to power outages.

Bonde, who is also the director of Isandla Esihle/Ruoko Rwakanaka, revealed this yesterday during commemorations of the International Day of Forests.

Bonde said for the past seven years he had been working with government to plant trees at schools such as Matshetsheni in Esigodini, as well as at Nyanga and Magamba schools, Manicaland province.

“Our organisation (Isandla Esihle) managed to plant up to 89 000 trees. Our target is one million trees by 2025. We are, however, facing funding and transport challenges. The COVID-19 pandemic was also a setback as we could not plant trees during the lockdown period,” Bonde said.

“We need to keep the environment green as people’s daily lives depend on a clean environment. We need oxygen everyday, we need to reduce deforestation, and to decorate our environment with trees. Let us continue to make our country and environment a beautiful place by planting a variety of tree species in our small communities.

“We have been facing deforestation challenges due to power cuts. This has led to several people opting to use firewood for cooking. People also cut trees to make hoe and pick handles. New housing stands in cities reduce trees in our communities as the stands are cleared. This is putting people’s lives at risk and causes soil erosion.”

Bonde said most trees in the Bulawayo central business district were old and needed replacement.

“We appeal to Nyaradzo Friendly Environment to go back to their initiative of distributing trees. Research is being done with other countries like South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo on how best the environment can be kept green for future sustainability.”