Mzimba District to plant 4 million trees

Mzimba district forestry officer Masozi Mhone has said the district is set to plant about four million tree seedlings in the 2023/24 National Forestry Season.

In an interview on Tuesday, she said the district planted 3.7 million trees last year and an assessment revealed that over 70 percent survived.

Said Mhone: “So, I am urging everyone in the district to play a role by planting a tree, and ensure the trees are protected and taken care of so that they can survive.

“We call upon our traditional leaders to ensure they engage their subjects on tree planting.”

Mzimba Heritage Association general secretary Kingsley Jere said they stand ready to help in wooing people in the district to join the cause.

He further called on all traditional authorities to ensure that every village has its own woodlot.

“Our role during this year’s National Forestry Season will be to challenge every citizen in the district to take part in the initiative.

“We need to plant as many trees as possible to conserve the environment,” he said.

Ministry of Natural Resources and Climate Change is targeting to plant 34 million trees during this year’s National Forestry Season representing a 32 percent decrease from last season’s 50 million.

The National Forestry Season was launched on December 15 2023 and will end on April 15 this year.