Deforestation scourge hits Bulawayo vicinities

By Busiswa Sobani

Corruption continues to rear its ugly head as Forestry Commission officers are fast losing control in curbing illegal deforestation in Bulawayo which has led to the loss of trees and other vegetation that may cause climate and environmental challenges for residents.  

Deforestation in Zimbabwe is hitting the country’s timber industry hard. Industry officials blame illegal settlers for the damage but for the settlers, it is their livelihoods that are on the line.

The country’s forest resources fall under four main categories namely: woodlands, forests, and trees in communal and resettled areas; forests and trees in small- and large-scale commercial farming areas; woodlands and forests on state land and in protected areas; and exotic plantation forests.

Deforestation causes numerous environmental problems ,from the destruction of wildlife habitat to the rapid release of stored carbon , which contributes to global warming. According to the Forestry Commission, Zimbabwe needs 9 to 11 million tons of firewood each year for domestic cooking and heating, and 1.4 million tonnes for tobacco curing . 

Life struggles induced by Covid-19 and the subsequent lockdowns have allegedly forced rangers and Forestry Commission officers to  do the unthinkable. Wood poachers who were interviewed admitted to bribing rangers with drugs, alcohol, money or food so that the latter facilitates their poaching.

A city council official who preferred anonymity  said deforestation is mostly taking place on the outskirts of Bulawayo especially after Khami Ruins and near Matopo Research Centre. He said the illegal poaching of wood for sale into urban areas is common in most forests around the country and  timber poaching is fast leading to deforestation.

The source said he oversees rangers  in Umguza District and stressed that disciplinary action should be taken against guilty rangers.

” I oversee Rangers in  Umguza District. Rangers should not allow the economic crisis and hard times that everyone is facing to lead them into taking  bribes. Disciplinary action should be taken against dirty rangers and they should be dismissed with immediate effect when caught,” he said.

Michael Moyo , a wood poacher said when rangers found him cutting down trees ,he was forced to pay a bribe of USD$10  to avoid arrest.

“They found me cutting down trees. I thought they would arrest me but to my surprise one of them just said ‘we can talk man to man’ so I ended up giving him $10 USD  as a bribe “, said Moyo.

Mr Daveson  Dakada , the Forestry Commission Security Officer said people should report corrupt rangers. He said as an organisation they are ready to deal which such culprits, who instead of protecting the environment are destroying it.

” Rangers who take bribes  should be seriously dealt with. They should either be fired or pay a detterent fine. As an organisation we cherish  teamwork, professionalism, and efficiency. All our operations are guided by transparency, accountability, and integrity”, he said .

According to a research titled ‘Energy sources and policy in Zimbabwe’ by a  Stanford University student, Sean Afshar, 66,8% of Zimbabwe’s population uses wood fuel, and only 32.8% of the population has access to modern fuel which demonstrates that wood power is the main source of fuel for most of the population. The over reliance on wood fuel has led to deforestation issues across Zimbabwe.

The hike in  electricity tariffs has led to many  women in Bulawayo resorting to cutting down trees for use as wood energy. One lady who requested  anonymity, said rangers caught her fetching firewood, they arrested her but she was readily released after one of the rangers asked for her phone numbers.

“The situation is very bad. Electricity is very expensive  and it is hard being a single mother as I have to fend for 3 children. Rangers caught me fetching firewood  and I was arrested but they released me after one of them asked for my phone numbers “, she said. 

Derrick Nyathi, a wood poacher said he survives on cutting wood which he supplies  to those who make wardrobes, hoes, and axes. He fears that if the rangers become strict, his family would starve .

“Rangers are also facing the same money problems that we are facing, so they are enticed into taking  bribes. I survive on supplying wood to those who make wardrobes ,axes and hoes and if the rangers were to be a bit strictt my family would starve”, said Nyathi .

 Mr Armstrong Tembo, the Forestry Commission Forrester said settlers have resorted to wood energy because of hikes in  electricity tariffs. Mr Tembo added that deforestation is rife in areas around Insuza along Bulawayo and Victoria Falls road . He stated  that they have not received reports that Forestry Commission officers are taking bribes from settlers.

“ I’m not aware that this is happening , but such Commission Officers should be seriously dealt with. We are ready to fire them as an organisation because instead of protecting the environment they are causing serious damage to it “ , said Mr Tembo .

Deforestation gutted 37% of Zimbabwe’s forested land between 1990 and 2015, leaving 87,000 hectares (about 215,000 acres), according to a  report from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

Meanwhile, commercial forests, which are planted for profit, shrunk from 120,000 hectares (about 297,000 acres) to about 69,000 hectares (about 171,000 acres) in 2019, according to the Timber Producers Federation, an independent association of timber producers in Zimbabwe