Veld fires contributing to deforestation in Zimbabwe

Veld fires contributing to deforestation in Zimbabwe

Veld fires, which are turning out to be a persistent problem in the country, have done their fair share of damage to the country’s forests. In spite of the heavy fines put in place, offenders seem to always go undetected. It is still unclear why people start forest fires, although in some parts it is believed to be a hunting mechanism to catch mice and other animals for the pot.

Last year, the Forestry Commission embarked on a vigorous tree re-planting exercise that meant to see a total of 10 million trees planted countrywide. Although the target was met, it is most likely that the bulk of the newly planted trees have since been wiped out by veld fires.
Trees which were destroyed by fire take long to recover and sometimes they will not recover again.

 Trees damaged by veld fires in Masvingo