By Colleta Wilton

Mulanje, June 6, Mana: We Forest, a non-governmental organization in the environment sector, has called upon communities in Mulanje District to take a leading role in conserving the environment to minimize effects of climate change that ignite natural disasters such as devastating cyclones.

We Forest Deputy Director, Dr Linda Chinangwa, made the remarks in Mulanje on Wednesday during World Environment Day commemoration.

She emphasized the need to conserve environment for the sake of Mulanje Mountain and its rich diversity.

Chinangwa said continued deforestation has led to degradation of many forests whose effects are negatively affecting livelihoods of the people

She said the main aim of We Forest is to help restoring, protecting and help conserving forests and the areas around Mulanje Mountain.

“We are trying to support Department of Forestry who are the leading department and policy makers in forestry and environmental conservation. We want to help them to enforce the law and bring community awareness on the importance of conserving forest reserves,” said Chinangwa.

We Forest works with communities living around the mountain at Group Village Heads Kazembe and Tchete in Mulanje and Group Village Heads Nyambalo and Bwanaisa in Phalombe.

In his remarks, Mulanje District Council Chairperson, Thokozani Namoyo, commended We Forest, Mulanje Mountain Conservation Trust and Wildlife Environmental Society of Malawi for their commitment in the fight against deforestation and other forms of environmental degradation.

“Mulanje District Council is expecting the Ministry of Justice to vet the by-laws that the council developed as this will help minimize deforestation that is rapid on Mulanje Mountain as the communities will be able to understand the impacts of deforestation and the penalties that follows the malpractice,” said Namoyo.

In 1972, the United Nations General Assembly designated June 5 as World Environment Day to support accelerated progress on global commitments which include protecting 30 percent of land and sea for nature and restoring 30 percent of the planet’s degraded ecosystems.

Commemoration of the day in Mulanje, which was held under the theme ‘Be part of the plan, our land, our future’, started with a solidarity walk from Nkhonya to Glenorchy Estate ground.