Zimparks warns residents as wood poaching rears its ugly head
Ratidzai Matumbura
VICTORIA FALLS – The Zimbabwe Parks and Wildlife Management Authority has vowed to arrest all wood poachers in the city of Victoria Falls in order to keep the prime tourist destination in its pristine state.
The Zimparks’ reaction has been necessitated by the widespread cutting down of trees by residents for sale and domestic use as many can no longer afford electricity bills largely due to the effects of Civic-19 while some residential stands are yet to be electrified.
Speaking to this publication, a senior wildlife officer, Mr. Mathew Muleya revealed that Zimparks, the Victoria Falls Anti-poaching Unit and the Municipality police are working together to reduce deforestation in Victoria Falls and its vicinity.
“We are collaborating with different stakeholders such as the City police and the Victoria Falls Anti-Poaching unit in the fight against wood poaching,” he said.
Muleya added that the stakeholders are carrying out various anti-poaching campaigns and educating the community on how they can coexist with wildlife in order to minimize human and wildlife conflict in the area.
“There are many animals that feed on trees and trees are habitats for many microorganisms, so if trees are destroyed there would be inadequate food and shelter for the affected animals and organisms. ZimParks does awareness campaigns aimed at informing people on the importance of trees and the negatives of not having trees.
We do awareness campaigns quarterly to conscientise people on the importance of trees and the negative effects of not having trees. There are animals that use trees as habitats and others feed on them. If trees are cut without replacements, starvation will hit our wildlife. We are working with the Victoria Falls Anti-Poaching unit and the Council to monitor areas where wood poaching is prevalent, “he said.
Job losses in the tourism industry as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic have led to the proliferation of wood poaching as a significant number of former tourism industry employees who have limited options for income are resorting to wood poaching for their own use and for selling as their financial reserves continue to dwindle and deplete.
“Cutting trees for selling is the only source of income l have. I was formally employed in the tourism industry which took a hit from the pandemic and unfortunately, I was one of those who were rendered jobless,” said a Chinotimba resident who only identified himself as Shepherd Madzambo.
Scores of residential stands in the city remain without electricity connections because they have not yet been connected to the city’s power grid, thereby providing a ready market for wood poachers as residents prefer wood over other more expensive fuels.
Monalisa Khumalo said that residents who live in stands without power connections have no other viable choice of fuel, hence the huge demand for wood which is illegally accessed. The CBZ and BC847 areas are yet to be connected to the city’s power grid.
“Firewood is the cheapest source of energy. We stay in the new residential stands and our houses are yet to be electrified. If we cut a big tree, it can sustain us for at least 2 months. Buying charcoal or gas is very expensive so we find using firewood very affordable, ” she said.
Liquid petroleum gas ranges from $1.45 to $1.50 per kg, while charcoal costs $1/kg.
