Source of Luangwa river under threat – WECSZ
WILDLIFE and Environmental Conversation Society of Zambia (WECSZ says it is concerned about continued deforestation at the source of Luangwa River.
SWECSZ President Joseph Chikolwa says the Luangwa River being one of the major water bodies of the country is losing its integrity due to unsustainable human activities at its headways and downstream.
‘’Luangwa River despite being one of the major water bodies of the country has gradually been losing its integrity mainly due to unsustainable human activities at its headwaters and downstream,” Chikolwa.
Mr Chikolwa said deforestation and expansion of agricultural activities into the sensitive riparians forests of rivers have slowly disturbed the Àow of water.
And Mr Chikolwa reveals that WECSZ has since embarked on mitigation measures to reverse and repair the source of Luangwa River on Mafinga Mountains by targeting to plant 000 indigenous trees.
µAbout ,000 seedlings have thus been raised, WECSZ with the help of stakeholders has also trained selected farmers in Damasca, Lulindo and Nachisitu villages on bee keeping as an alternative livelihood,’’ said Chikolwa
Mr Chikolwa added that 5 apiaries had since been established with the beekeepers group as a way of fostering better conservation of riparian forests by allowing community members to commit not to further extended agricultural activities in the riparian zone.
And WECSZ project officer in Mafinga *ift Mwandila has disclosed that the organisation in collaboration with forest department and the Ministry of Agriculture have trained 60 farmers in the establishment of nurseries for indigenous trees.
WECSZ treasurer Caroline Odel Kilembe disclosed that Ecosystem Partnership fund has pumped in 130,000 dollars for the implementation of a project to conserve the riparian forest at the Luangwa River headways since September 2016.
Luangwa River is the home of thousands of wildlife in the North Luangwa and south Luangwa national parks and it stretches over 00 Kilometres from Mafinga Hills to Zambezi 5iver.