GOVERNMENT has said it would not tolerate the losing of Luangwa Valley ecosystem as it habours the most famous South Luangwa National Park which contributes largely to tourism sector that was helping improving the economy of the country.
Eastern Province Permanent Secretary Chanda Kasolo said at the Seventh Round table meeting held at Luangwa Lodge in Chipata that Lundazi National Forest acts as a buffer to the South Luangwa National Park, North Luangwa, and Luembe National Park.
Mr Kasolo said in a speech read on his behalf by Assistant Secretary Royd Tembo that he was reliably informed that Lundazi National Forest is being lost through encroachment.
”We have also seen the Mphomwa Forest go leaving the mountains bare.We cannot afford to sit back and watch,”he said.
He said the environmental threats were many ranging from deforestation,unsustainable charcoal production,unsustainable farming practices, illegal timber harvesting, poaching, and encroachment in the protected areas.
Mr Kasolo said if not checked and without sustainable livelihoods, it would lead to total deforestation and depletion of wildlife resources.
He said it was his expectation to enhance efforts in coordinating sustainable environmental management programmes in mitigating the environmental challenges.
Mr Kasolo said Government alone cannot address the challenges stating that it needs full collaboration with stakeholders in the private sector and the communities at large.
He also said climate change was real and If stakeholders just talk without action,the vision to have Eastern Province with an improved framework that would involve all structures from household level to the provincial level with sustainable livelihoods that would contribute to a healthy Luangwa Valley ecosystem will not be realised.
Rhetoric. This country is number one. Talking and talking
@1 Mahele, Rhetoric indeed, if not why is say: “”We have also seen the Mphomwa Forest go leaving the mountains bare.We cannot afford to sit back and watch,”he said. – where was government when all this was happening??
Rhetoric. Just talking and talking. Start to work
I AGREE WITH YOU MAHELE. IT WOULD HAVE MADE SENSE IF KASOLO WAS SAYING THIS WITH AN EXAMPLE. IF MOST OF THE FORESTS HAVE GONE AND STILL GOING WHY NOT TELL US THAT 20 FORESTRY OFFENDERS HAVE ALREADY BEEN JAILED, FOLLOWED BY HIS STATEMENT THAT, “Govt will not tolerate the losing of ecosystem in Luangwa Valley”, AND ANYWHERE ELSE. ZAMBIA NOW IS A SORRY SIGHT WHERE FORESTRY IS CONCERNED. I USED TO ENJOY THE BEAUTIFUL SCENERY FROM LUSAKA TO CB WHENEVER TRAVELLING. IT IS NO LONGER ANY MORE DUE TO THE BARE FORESTRY WITH A LOT OF DUST. I REALLY WONDER IF THERE’S A MINISTRY CONCERNED WITH FORESTRY IN ZAMBIA.
Another meeting that resolves what? Order and implement large scale replanting of native trees.. How difficult is that.
A levy on all tourism ventures will pay for employment of zambians to collect, proprogate and plant native tres.
ZAMBIA WE CAN DO IT…………BELIEVE IN OURSELVES. ..LEAVE OUR CHILDREN A LEGACY
Masalamuso, THAT IS WHAT I HAVE NEVER HEARD FROM ANY ZAMBIAN, OR SEEN THE GRZ DO. YOU ARE SPOT-ON AND I AM IMPRESSED TO HEAR THAT AT LEAST THERE’S A ZAMBIAN WHO THINKS LIKE ME. INDIGENOUS TREES MUST BE REPLANTED IN THOSE AREAS AS OPPOSED TO PLANTING EXOTIC TREES EVERYWHERE. EXOTIC TREES DISTURB THE ECOSYSTEM IN THOSE AREAS. THE GRZ MUST ESTABLISH, THROUGH, THE MINISTRY OF FORESTRY AND THE SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH INDIGENOUS TREES NURSERIES IN EVERY TOWN IN ZAMBIA TO DEAL WITH PROPER REAFFORESTATION IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN THE DIFFERENT ECOSYSTEMS IN THOSE AREAS. FOREIGN TREES MUST BE RESTRICTED TO DISGNATED AREAS.
Next we hear on this matter from this Flip – flopping Government, will be “We are selling large tracts of land in the Luangwa national park as the Chinese have promised to build a Tavern, & Whiskey distillery there” & Chagwa will powerless to resist, & in the very forefront as anything to do with Drinking, Dancing, or touring, the Man Edward just cannot resist!!
I repeat anything to do with Drinking, Dancing, & Touring, Edward will immediately get weak @ the knees, & his will to Resist evaporates!
Let the seed collection,propogation and planting be a yourh empowerment program,,,, maybe young entrepreneurs get youth loan and set up bysiness and GRZ purchases the trees for planting…. we then have a large prispn population capable of planting..alternatively the prisons grow the trees
Read what this chap said ”We have also seen the Mphomwa Forest go leaving the mountains bare.We cannot afford to sit back and watch,”he said. He had seen and never stopped them,then he goes to the press to announce, He is not good for the job. He was supposed to stop them, then talk. Work first and talk/complain later.