Breathing life into the Chisengu elephant
MORE than 1 000 hectares under timber plantations in Chimanimani have been invaded by illegal gold panners who are wreaking havoc by unwantonly cutting down trees and causing massive environmental degradation.
Besides grappling with the challenges being posed by the illegal gold miners and timber poachers, the State-owned Allied Timbers is also having a torrid time dealing with marauding baboons which are also destroying the trees through feeding on their barks.
Briefing Environment, Climate Change, Tourism and Hospitality Industry Minister Mangaliso Ndlovu during a tour of Chisengu Sawmill which was destroyed by a mysterious fire in 2012, Allied Timbers chief operating officer, Mr Trymore Chivinge said their operations are being affected by the illegal mining activities happening at Tarka Estate and the surrounding areas.
Mr Chivinge said after the gutting down of the sawmill, very few trees have been planted in Chimanimani as the company is being forced to harvest some of the trees to salvage something from their investments.
“More than 1 000ha of our estate have been invaded by illegal gold panners over the past few years. Efforts to flush them out have been in vain as they continue finding their way back to do illegal mining. We are continuously losing timber at an alarming rate due to the criminal activities happening at our estates.
“Our operations are also being affected by illegal land invasions. In addition, baboons are also invading the estates to feed on the tree barks. This has seen our trees wilting. We need a quick solution to the illegal activities happening here. The country is also losing a lot of revenue through these illegal activities,” said Mr Chivinge.
He went on to reveal that Allied Timbers is currently planting trees on about 300ha every year
However, Minister Ndlovu said considering that it takes almost 25 years for pine trees to mature, the company should aim to double annual hectarage to ensure that the country has enough timber.
“As you said, we need to find a lasting solution to this because the country cannot continue losing out to these illegal activities. Besides panning in estates, all riverbank mining activities were stopped by Cabinet and all those doing these illegal operations should stop henceforth.
“Allied Timbers also needs to engage the local leadership and community to ensure a win-win situation. We need to replenish our forestry and the community should also reap positive benefits from this venture. We need a robust programme to ensure that the country will not end up importing timber in future through our failure to address the current challenges,” he said.
Minister Ndlovu also implored Allied Timbers to invest in fire-fighting equipment and other equipment at its sawmills.
“This is a State-owned enterprise which is supposed to benefit all Zimbabweans. We should safeguard massive investments like this.
We do not want to see the stripping of equipment here. As Allied Timbers, you should ensure that part of the sawmill is put into good use,” said Minister Ndlovu.
Member of National Assembly for Chimanimani East, Honourable Joshua Sacco called for the formalisation of small-scale mining activities in the area to avoid the current problems.
“There are a number of illegal mining activities happening in the area but they are mostly concentrated along riverbanks. The best way out of this is to formalise small-scale mining involving the local communities so that there is buy-in from everyone.
“If an area is mined out, noone will try his or her luck on it and the environment and forests will be protected. All activities should be controlled,” said Honourable Sacco.
He also called on Allied Timbers to resuscitate the dry shade at Chisengu Sawmill to promote value addition of harvested timber.
“It is sad to note that Chisengu Sawmill was reduced from one of the biggest timber processing plants in Southern Africa to a white elephant. Allied Timbers should invest in the dry shade so that there is value addition of the harvested timber. That will create employment for the locals,” he said.