‘Trees, forests essential to achieve Vision 2030’
FIRSTLadyDrAuxilliaMnangagwahas highlightedthevitalandcrucialrolethat treesandforestsplayinachievingVision 2030. She said these natural resources arenotonlyimportantfortheecological balancebutalsoforthesocio-economic development of the country.
Dr Mnangagwa who is also the environment patron, said this yesterdayinMatabelelandNorthprovinceat a pre-NationalTree Planting Day event thatwasheldatElitsheniPrimarySchool in Bubi district. This year’s exercise is running under the theme: “Trees and ForestsforEcosystemsRestorationand improved Livelihood.”
Dr Mnangagwa said trees and forests are some of the natural resources that are critical for the country to realise Vision 2030.
She said as environment patron, it washerdutytoremindandencourage Zimbabweansabouttheimportanceof Tree Planting and to exhort the nation to continue to care and manage the trees that have already been planted.
The First Lady was represented by Matabeleland North Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Richard Moyo.
“My beloved citizens we are all in agreement that trees and forests are important through products and services that we get for our livelihoods. Imaginehowlifewouldbeinacountry withoutanyplantformsintheirvarious categoriesanduses.Whatimmediately comes to mind is that there would be no oxygen, no timber, no wildlife responsible for boosting tourism, no agriculture and in essence no survival of living organisms including human beings,”said Amai Mnangagwa.
She said trees act as the first line of defence against the vagaries of climate change effects as they provide several climate proofing attributes. Amai Mnangagwa also said the advent of smart cities and green cities approach to urban development demands that urbanforestrybeconsideredasacomponent in land use planning.
Shesaidduringthedroughtperiods induced by climate change, people in different parts of the country turn to naturalresourcesfortheupkeepoftheir livelihoods.DrMnangagwasaidpeople from the rural areas collect wild fruits and sell them in towns like Bulawayo andHarareinordertogenerateincome to fend for their families.
“Forests are habitats for wildlife and gardens or orchards of indigenous medicines. Trees control rain run-off and as a consequence curb soil erosion and stop siltation that reduces water holding capacities of our rivers and dams. Firewood in the rural areas is collected from forests. Sometimes our urban households and growth points do experience power shortages and some newly established suburbs are yet to be connected to the power grid, causing the residents to fall back on firewood as a source of fuel for domestic energy,” said Dr Mnangagwa.
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