Proliferation of firewood using food cookers worry Tree Ambassador

National Tree Ambassador Never Bonde   has expressed concern over the increasing number of small scale food outlets that are using firewood indicating that this is a sign of a huge deforestation taking place in Bulawayo and the surrounding areas.


Bonde said people must plant trees instead of cutting them.

"As we are a religious country, we see a lot of people cutting down trees to make fire. We are also urging those who are going to church camps, Christmas celebrations, we encourage people not to transport firewood without papers. We know that some say they collected the fiorewood from their farms but still they need to be cleared to transport firewood from one place to the other," Bonde said.

Bonde said there are also those who are doing cooking business  using fire wood adding that this means the destruction of forestry.

"There are those who are into cooking businesses. They wake up in the morning to buy firewood. Lets take for instance, here in Bulawayo, I have done my statistics. We have 2000 plus who are into the cooking business but they are using firewood," Bonde said.

"Please if you know you are using firewood, you do not have gas stoves, you do not electricity, stop using firewood without the permission of forestry commission because for instance if we have 2000 plus in cooking business who are using fire wood, how many trees are destroyed in Bulawayo, howmanty trees are destroyed in  Gwanda, Plumtree even in Lupane. We therefore urge people not to use fire wood without permission from the forestry commission." 

Bonde hailed uMguza Rural District Council for preserving the forestry by arresting  those who cut down trees for firewood.

He also hailed the forestry commission for always making efforts to plant trees and encouraged the citizens to rally behind the commission and also plant trees.