The ManicaPost
THE story of illegal artisanal gold mining in different timber plantations in Manicaland has been told many times yet a lasting solution remains elusive.
While we do not doubt the need to turn around the economy using the God-given minerals around us, we remain cognisant of the dire need to preserve not only our commercial forest plantations but also the tourism industry as key players in the economy of this nation.
Elsewhere in this newspaper we carry a story on the destruction caused by illegal artisanal gold mining in Chimanimani.
Progressive citizens will naturally accede to the glaring need to preserve our forest plantations and protect them from illegal artisanal gold mining.
Over the years, we have witnessed some uncontrolled and disorganised artisanal mining activities ravaging timber plantations in different parts of Manicaland and this has come at a cost not only for the operators in the industry but for the economy of the country in general. We sincerely hope that the time for warning illegal artisanal miners has come and gone.
This is the time to take decisive action against illegal artisanal mining activities in timber plantations and ensure that future generations also benefit from the natural endowments in the Eastern Highlands that include our beautiful timber plantations.
The fact that the timber plantation area in the country has been declining every year from about 120 000 hectares in the early years of this decaded to just under 70 000 hectares in 2018 is not something we can smile at.
We all know that the major reasons for the decline include low replanting rate, forest fires and illegal activities in the forests.
Given that forest fires and illegal mining activities are mainly fuelled by illegal settlers in plantations, we see no need to continue tolerating the existence of illegal settlers in timber estates.
Currently, the country consumes about 150 000 cubic metres of timber per year and this demand is estimated to increase as the country moves closer to achieving Vision 2030, hence one of the progressive measures that can be taken to meet that demand is to do away with illegal settlers in plantations.
The importance of restoring sanity in timber plantations vis-a-vis economic revival efforts cannot be over-emphasised, more so with the Transitional Stabilisation Programme (TSP)reforms agenda upon us.
The TSP expounds issues relating to application of credible and sustainable policy interventions, underpinned by strengthening the rule of law and respect for property rights.
It clearly spells out that with respect to environmental management, the TSP targets protection, restoration and promotion of sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems, sustainable management of forests, fighting the veld fire scourge, combating desertification, halting and reversing land degradation and loss of biodiversity.
Apart from the direct economic gains that we derive from these timber plantations, commercial forest plantations act as water catchment areas and are sources to some of the major rivers in the entire Manicaland province.
Some of the rivers that get their water from the forests are Mutare, Pungwe, Honde, Odzi, Rusitu, Tanganda, Mhakwe and Changazi.
These forests have provided Zimbabwe and Southern Africa with most of their timber needs since their establishment in the 1960s.
But all this is under serious threat from, among other factors, illegal artisanal mining and settlers. We surely cannot fold our hands and watch while a disaster of monumental proportions unfolds before our very eyes.
