Africa-Press – Zambia. The traditional leadership in Monze District have advised the new dawn government to address the indiscriminate cutting of trees in the Lochinvar National Park saying its posing a threat to survival of wildlife.
And Acting Monze District Commissioner Gorreti Bbalo has advised the Department of Education in the District to roll out Green Clubs in all the schools to help address environmental issues affecting the District.
Chief Hamusonde says through his representative Trust Kaayo that the National Park risks being turned into a desert due to rampant tree cutting. ZANIS reports that Chief Hamusonde explained that people in the area surrounding the park have turned to tree cutting which they sell to Mazabuka to generate income.
“ We have a serious problem of indiscriminate cutting of trees in the Lochinvar National park which if left unchecked may turn the area into dessert and inhabitable for wildlife.
“We also want to appeal to the United Party for National Development (UPND) government to provide people in the area with alternative sources of income for them to stop tree cutting which has damaged the environment in the National Park,” ,” said the traditional leader.
And Ms Bbalo says it is important for schools to have Green Clubs in an effort to inculcate knowledge on natural resources management to pupils. She notes that protecting the environment calls for serious collective efforts such as tree planting to halt further environmental
degradation in the District. Monze District like other Districts in Southern Province is facing environmental issues such as indiscriminate cutting of trees, siltation of dams and rivers, invasive alien plant species among others.
Meanwhile, Protecting, Restoring the Environment, and supporting the Emergence of a Resilient and Vibrant Economy (PRESERVE) Kafue Project Manager Aggie Chama said over 1,200 small holder farmers in four wards of Monze have benefited from enterprise development, income generating activities, improvement in nutrition, climate adaptation among other interventions since the project started in March 2019.
Ms Chama said more funding has been secured from the Irish Government to continue with projects aimed at enhancing Natural Resources Management through Green Clubs in schools among others.
And Ms Bbalo the PRESERVE Project for supplementing the government’s commitment and determination to improve nutrition among households in the District.
SHA commenced work in Zambia in 2008 and is currently operating in Central, Southern, Western, North Western, Lusaka, Muchinga, Luapula and Eastern Provinces.
