North-West forests in red zone, says CBU don
…Gillian Kabwe warns the un-prescribed wild fires are threatening the vegetation and forests in most parts of North-Western Province, thereby exacerbating effects of climate change
THE cherished North-Western Province which is well covered in vegetation has unfortunately entered a red zone as a result of un-prescribed wild fires, Copperbelt University (CBU) Professor in the School of Natural Resources, Gillian Kabwe has said.
President Hakainde Hichilema recently called for action to end un-prescribed wild fires because of the negative effects on biodiversity and Climate Change.
But Prof Kabwe says according to Southern African Science Service Centre for Climate Change and Adaptive Land Management (SASSCAL) Data and Information Portal, North Western Province has been categorised in the red zone, an indication that the region has a high percentage of bush burns per year.
In her presentation dubbed: Bush/ Forest Fires in Zambia, Prof. Kabwe said over 60 percent of total land mass in Zambia was forested of which 9.6 percent was gazetted forests.
She said less than 70 percent of the country was designated as State land where government could issue title deeds, adding that the rest of the country was designated as customary land.
Prof. Kabwe said 25 percent of the country was subjected to fires every year with protected areas such as forests and national Parks being some of the most frequently burnt.
She said there was no single institution with an overall mandate to manage wild fires in the country, though the Zambia National Parks and Wildlife and the Forestry Department had some responsibility.
This came to light at a traditional leaders’ caucus on Ending Forest Fires, organised by the Centre for Environment Justice (CEJ) in Solwezi.
Prof. Kabwe said reasons advanced by communities for burning forests were for agricultural purposes, protection against wild animals, forest regeneration, burning to get potash from trees, hunting and poaching.
Most of the timber concessions are in North-Western Province. Foreigners come to North-Western Province for timber because you kept the trees well but if you use fire continuously, you will be reducing annual increment resulting in reduced income,” she said.