Africa-Press – Zambia. The Forestry Department in Kapiri Mposhi has bemoaned the increased encroachment of protected forest reserves in the district. District Forestry Officer, Nicholas Chilo said Kapiri Local and Chibwe National Forests, the two forest reserves in the district, have been encroached thereby endangering their existence.
Mr Chilo said both forests which have ecological significance to the district have been encroached by individuals and firms conducting illegal mining activities and squatters who were involved in charcoal burning and farming activities.
He disclosed that Kapiri Local Forest and Chibwe National forest serve as water recharge catchment areas for Mushimbili Dam and Mulungushi River respectively.
” We have noted an increase in illegal settlements and business activities such as sand and stone extraction and agriculture in the two forests, mind you these two forests have critical ecological significance and we fear life consequences if they are disturbed in this manner,” Mr Chilo said.
He said the Forestry Department working with Zambia Police will soon serve eviction notices to squatters in Kapiri Local Forest adding that the department is still awaiting the outcome in the matter before the High Court on eviction of squatters from Chibwe National Forest.
Over 100 families have illegally settled in Kapiri Local Forest reserve. ” On Chibwe Forest we are waiting for the High Court to conclude the matter because the squatters sued government after we tried to evict them some years back but all in all these forests are important and need to be preserved,” Mr Chilo said.
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