The Sunday News
Faith Chapuza, Sunday news reporter
How Mine, a subsidiary of Bulawayo mining company has donated 40 bamboo tree seedlings to the Umzingwane community towards the National Tree Plantation Day.
The finance director of How mine, Mr Alpha Matumbura, said that trees play an important role in the everyday lives of individuals. He was speaking at a function at the mine where the donation was made to the community leadership on Friday.
“Trees play an important role in our day to day lives and existence. Trees naturally remove carbon dioxide in the atmosphere during the process of photosynthesis and in turn release the pertinent gas oxygen as a byproduct, in this natural phenomenon trees directly reduce the growth of the greenhouse effect and counteract global warming,” he said.
He also said that the theme of the year, fruit trees for food and nutrition, resonates well with the predicament faced by humankind of food shortages and hunger brought by adverse weather conditions.
“The theme for this year resonates well with the current predicament faced by humankind where there is acute food shortages and hunger brought by adverse weather conditions attributed to global warming and its associated environmental challenges.
“As we set about to plant trees today, not only are we contributing to the reduction of growth in the greenhouse effect, but we are also creating food security and contributing to sustainable development,” said Mr Matumbura.
Ms Nobuhle Ndlovu, a Forestry Commission officer said that there was a high rate of deforestation in Umzingwaye district, thus the initiative by How mine was a huge step in trying to afforestate the area.
‘’Umzingwaye district has recorded high rates of deforestation because people cut down trees for communal land that is why the forestry commission appreciates this initiative by How Mine and we hope that many people follow in their footsteps during this month of tree plantation’’ said Ndlovu.
Mr Matambura further said that trees Bulawayo Mining Company will play a part in forest restoration to ensure that the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development is archived.
‘’As an organisation, the Bulawayo Mining Company will thrive to play a part in ensuring forest are restored. We will continue commemorating the tree plantation day and offer our unwavering support towards the achievement of the 2030 Agenda Sustainable Development,’’ said Matumbura.
