Blitz Against Illegal Firewood Sales Launched

Source: The Herald (Harare)

Date: 22 November 2007

Author: Anon

The Forestry Commission has launched a campaign against the illegal felling of trees and unauthorised firewood sales while the police and the Environmental Management Agency have been empowered to arrest those caught breaking the law.

People cutting down trees for commercial purposes or selling firewood need authority from the Forestry Commission. However, residents can still cut trees on their own premises, and may burn this timber for domestic use, but cannot sell the wood without permission.

No one may cut trees on public land or land belonging or assigned to others without permission. The clampdown, which comes into effect today, is aimed at curtailing the reckless cutting down of trees. Forestry Commission deputy general manager Mr Odreck Sibanda said the commission was conducting periodic highway patrols in conjunction with the ZRP to curb the trafficking of firewood. "An exercise dubbed 'Operation Miti Inhaka' is currently underway especially in resettlement areas where farmers are cutting trees under the pretext of land clearing for cropping and some end up cutting trees on land that does not belong to them. "Any commercialisation of indigenous wood demands that a sustainable and legal source should be utilised. All firewood sales are illegal unless done under a permit issued by the Forestry Commission.

"Land owners such as rural district councils, urban councils, the Parks and Wildlife Management Authority and private owners who intend to cut indigenous timber on their land for sale are required to give advance written notice of their intention. "The commission will facilitate inspection and issue the relevant permit," he said. Mr Sibanda said programmes like the National Tree Planting Day were primarily aimed at alleviating the fuelwood problems in both communal and urban areas. He said the commission recognises that Zimbabweans were entitled to firewood for their domestic use, but its supply had to be carried out within the confines of the law.

As a result of increasing urban population and general poverty, he said, woodlands in urban and peri-urban areas continued to be decimated at an alarming rate. On the other hand, the sale of firewood was now big business.