The Forestry Commission of Zimbabwe (FCZ) has called on citizens to plant as many trees as possible to reach the 25 million target set for the current rainy season.
The call was made during a Tree Planting Day event held at Hillside Primary School in Bulawayo yesterday where the FCZ planted about 80 exotic, indigenous and 170 fruit trees.
The event was held under the theme Trees and forests for Ecosystem Restoration and Improved Livelihoods.
Addressing participants, FCZ chief conservator of forests, Armstrong Tembo, emphasised the need for reforestation.
“Our target for this tree planting season, at a national level, is 25 million. We are aiming to have planted these trees by the end of this tree planting season. For Bulawayo, our target is 30 000; we think these can be planted within our province,” he said.
Tembo urged people to communicate when tree planting occurs so that records and statistics are kept to track progress on the targeted number of trees to be planted.
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“A lot of the time trees are planted, at homes, schools, like here but we lack communication or networking so we are able to capture that information,” he said.
Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution secretary, Paul Nyoni, commended the tradition of planting trees annually.
“Our tree of the year is ‘vachellia xanophloea’, Umkhanyakude, muunga, fever tree. This is a medium-sized tree which reaches 25 metres in height at maturity, making it an attractive and decorative indigenous tree species that is now found even outside its home range,” he said.
Nyoni urged the public to plant many types of trees and varieties that are available remembering that planting many species increases survival chances.
Zimbabwe commemorates National Tree Planting Day on the first Saturday of December.