By Mary Makhiringa                                           

Balaka, February 28, Mana: Deputy Director of Forestry, Ted Kamoto, on Tuesday called for concerted efforts in the fight against deforestation and further asked people in the district to embark on restoration of the environment, as Balaka plans to plant 1.5 million trees this forestry season.

Kamoto said the Department of Forestry alone cannot manage but different players and sectors need to join hands towards the course so that the country’s environment is restored.

He made the remarks in Balaka during the district tree planting launch which took place in Traditional Authority Kachenga.

Said Kamoto: “As a department, we believe that the road towards restoring the environment goes beyond charcoal confiscation but make the people understand why it is important to have trees standing but not turning it to charcoal.

“We are having trees diminished year in and out and the climate related challenges that we are facing are problems that we have created ourselves, and together we need to change this to have a country that has trees.”

He has further asked for rescheduling in the tree planting, considering that climate is changing with delayed rainfall.

“If we look at the theme this year, it is about how do we bring in innovations to make sure that trees survive after planting. We should think of box ridges and other methodologies so that we keep more water for the trees to grow,” he said.

District Commissioner (DC) for Balaka, Tamanya Harawa, urged all to conserve the environment, describing it as a gift that God gave man.

He said: “I will take you back to the Bible and Quran where God first created the environment and later created man who was given the responsibility of taking care of it with all his might.

“Let us try to see the world as it used to be that time; a lot of trees, people had anything as fruits were all over. Look at the same now, it is a shame, let us take care of the environment as it is our obligation from God the creator.”

Harawa said Balaka planted a lot of tree seedlings but some did not survive due a number of factors that need to be looked into.

“If we continue depleting it at the level we are, just know we have a case to answer with God; nature itself fights back, and that is why we are experiencing all these environmental related calamities.

“Last year, we planted two million trees and survival rate was 87 percent. We lost 13 percent, which was not impressive and l know we can do better,” he said.

The DC further said his office has put deliberate by-laws to make sure that trees are protected, and he asked political leaders to also take active role in incorporating issues of environmental conservation in their political manifestos.

The 2024 tree planting season was held under the theme, “Forest Innovation in Action: Reforestation for a Sustainable Tomorrow”.

It is expected that the district will plant 1.5 million trees, and so far 983 thousand trees have already been planted.