By Mirriam Bwanali

Blantyre, May 29, Mana; Mulanje Police Station, in collaboration with the Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust (MMCT), held a meeting this week to strengthen collaboration between the police, community-based policing structures, and other key stakeholders in addressing deforestation around Mulanje Mountain.

MMCT Executive Director, Carl Bruessow, stated during the meeting that there is an urgent need for collective action to protect the forest and reduce environmental degradation resulting from deforestation.

“We will continue to work with the communities, particularly in traditional authorities Njema and Sunganinzeru to stop the illegal cutting down of trees. We will soon implement a comprehensive project aimed at addressing deforestation in the mountain reserve,” he said.

Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), the Officer in charge of Mulanje Police Station Moses Chibwe, commended MMCT for its ongoing and upcoming initiatives and reaffirmed Mulanje Police’s commitment and that of community policing members to work hand in hand with MMCT in dealing with environmental malpractices that threaten biodiversity in and around the mountain.

He stressed that the police will intensify mass awareness campaigns on forest conservation and ensure that those involved in charcoal production, illegal logging and other non-environmental friendly human practices are brought to justice,

Established in 2000, the MMCT is an environmental endowment trust whose goal is to ensure sustainable management of the Mulanje Mountain biodiversity apart from doing research and monitoring, co-management and sustainable livelihood, environmental education and communication.