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.
Ka Chief Nkole is a major Culprit and corrupt man encouraging such goings on in the area. Government should move in as quickly as possible and STOP these irregularities otherwise, it shall be very late for the ministry of Lands to correct the situation
STOP CRYING ABOUT IT AND MOVE THEM OUT
For ever encroaching on pristine forests – pushing the animals out, and cutting down trees. How sad! Where will the animals go??? These flimsy dwellings are not even the worst. Once removed, they won’t have left much of a mark. The trees will grow back, and the animals will quickly return. The worst culprits are those that concrete, & fence off tracts of land deep in forests, completely disregarding the ecology therein.
For ever encroaching on pristine forests – pushing the animals out, and cutting down trees – the worst blunder ever! How sad! Where will the animals
The Ministry of lands is really failing us all, by enabling the destruction of our forests with their haphazard land allocation. I don’t understand why they allow ventures deep in forests when there is plenty of land bordering villages, towns and cities. Land which was covered in trees in 2012, is now bare, dotted only with farms and houses. Trees & wildlife are gone! It’s sickening.