ZIMBABWE

Zimbabwe has suffered from serious environmental degradation in recent years. Government resettlement programmes have resulted in soil erosion, reduced agricultural yields, over-grazing, and increasing desertification. Between 1990 and 2005, Zimbabwe lost 21% of its forests and has no primary forest remaining. Deforestation rates have increased by 16% since the end of the 1990s and Zimbabwe was one of the top 10 countries for deforestation between 2000 and 2006.

In theory, over 14.5% of the country is under some form of protection, but enforcement has been ineffective. The Timber Producers Federation (TPF) said recently that the industry was under threat from resettled farmers causing fires in forest areas and harvesting timber illegally. Even Forestry Commission plantations have been seriously damaged. The TPF estimated that, in 2005, resettled farmers cost the country over $1.5 trillion through illegal fires and harvesting. This is the estimated mature standing value of the trees. Forests are also being cleared for fuelwood; with inflation soaring and alternative energy too expensive, fines imposed for breaching forestry laws become increasingly meaningless and provide little deterrence.

Much of the illegally harvested timber has been exported to neighbouring countries for below market value. Under the Forestry Act, timber processing companies are only permitted to export processed hardwood, but many have been exporting raw timber to make quick profits. The state of Zimbabwe's economy is no doubt encouraging this.

The Forestry Commission has made attempts to clamp down on illegal exports, working with the police and revenue authorities. Some truckloads of timber have been seized. The authorities have also tried to prevent fuelwood collection by providing guards for forested areas, but this has proved largely ineffective as desperation has forced many to find ways to evade being apprehended.

DOCUMENTS

DATE	TITLE	AUTHOR
01/04/2004	Lessons Learnt on Sustainable Forest Management in Africa: Study on Forest Administration and Related Institutional Arrangements This study is a component of a wider initiative jointly undertaken by the Royal Swedish Academy of Agriculture ...	Owino, Prof. F (Forest Resources International, Kenya) & Ndinga, Dr A (Dakar Fann, Senegal)
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NEWS

DATE	TITLE	AUTHOR
20/02/2013	Zimbabwe: Deforestation On the Rise Zimbabwe has lost 4 989 548 hectares of wooded land to various causes inspired by both human and natural ...	The Herald
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11/11/2012	Deforestation still rampant in Zim With the extensive reforestation efforts that have been going on for a while now in Zimbabwe, it boggles ...	The Standard, Zimbabwe
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18/10/2012	British American Tobacco in anti-deforestation drive Cigarette-maker British American Tobacco (BAT) has launched a rocket barn trial project in a bid to slow ...	News Day, Zimbabwe
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20/08/2012	‘Illegal logging costs Zim millions of dollars’ Zimbabwe is losing several millions of dollars annually through illegal logging, a senior official with ...	The Standard, Zimbabwe
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04/06/2012	Zimbabwe: New forest management standard welcome, but . . . The rapid production and consumption of wood as a major renewable energy source in Zimbabwe has stimulated ...	allAfrica.com
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09/05/2012	New national forestry management standard out In Zimbabwe Harare - The Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ) on Tuesday launched a new certification standard ...	Bernama, Malaysia
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13/04/2012	Zimbabwe: Standard ZWS 923 - 2012 now out National standards body, the Standards Association of Zimbabwe (SAZ), has announced the release of the ...	allAfrica.com
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16/03/2012	Zimbabwe: tobacco curing and deforestation Startling claims featuring wide disparities have been made about the extent to which felling wood for ...	allAfrica.com
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04/02/2012	Firm evicts 2 000 Zanu PF invaders Mutare - The government is on Monday expected to make a decision on Chimanimani evictions carried out ...	NewsDay, Zimbabwe
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21/01/2012	Zimbabwe: U.S.$200 million forestry plantations lost to illegal settlers Zimbabwe has lost more than US$200 million due to activities of illegal settlers in areas reserved for ...	allAfrica.com
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20/01/2012	Zimbabwe: Forestry Commission, BAT aim to curb deforestation The Forestry Commission of Zimbabwe has said that it expects deforestation caused by tobacco farmers ...	allAfrica.com
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02/12/2011	Zimbabwe: Country on the brink of desertification Zimbabwe is on the brink of desertification with reports indicating that the deforestation rate in the ...	allAfrica.com
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16/11/2011	No trees in 50 years A cocktail of power cuts, ad hoc deforestation and veld fires has seen the loss of 330 000 hectares of ...	The Zimbabwean
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02/08/2011	Zimbabwe: Over 46 000 hectares forests destroyed Over 46 015 hectares of forests have been destroyed and 1,38 million cubic metres of firewood burnt to ...	allAfrica.com
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11/04/2011	$2bn timber revenue up in smoke The country’s timber industry has lost over $2 billion in potential revenue in the last two decades ...	News Day, Zimbabwe
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02/02/2011	The world's 10 most threatened forest hotspots As UN marks 2011 the International Year of Forests, Conservation International highlights forest ecosystems ...	Conservation International
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02/12/2010	‘Zim losing 330 000 hectares of forest annually’ Failure to promulgate regulations and statutory instruments to deal with illegal trading in firewood ...	News Day, Zimbabwe
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10/11/2010	Zimbabwe: Power cuts and high costs causing major deforestation The failure of the government to develop a stable and reliable electricity infrastructure has continued ...	allAfrica.com
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22/07/2009	Chief Musarurwa castigates deforestation With the world worried about the devastating effects of global warming, Chief Musarurwa of Chivhu Communal ...	ZBC News, Zimbabwe
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06/06/2007	Zimbabwe forests under threat Israel Thebe points in despair to dozens of fresh stumps that have appeared overnight in the heart of ...	Terra Daily
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16/02/2007	Zimbabwe: Forestry Commission Engages Police, Zimra Zimbabwe - The Forestry Commission has engaged the police and the revenue authority to curb the rampant ...	AllAfrica.com
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18/01/2007	Pay back time for uncle Bob Harare, Zimbabwe - The Zanu (PF) government is finalizing a complex deal with the newly sworn-in Democratic ...	The Zimbabwean (Zimbabwe)
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07/07/2006	Zimbabwe: Resettled Farmers Harm Timber Industry Zimbabwe's timber industry is under threat from resettled farmers causing fires in woodlands or ...	AllAfrica.com
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01/03/2006	State Explores Forest Based Land Reform Programme Zimbabwe - Government is exploring a forest-based land reform programme with the view of ensuring the ...	AllAfrica.com
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21/07/2004	Wood Poachers Fuelling Menace of Deforestation Zimbabwe - Satellite images showing expansive green stretches of forest and woodlands from the 90s have ...	The Herald - Zimbabwe
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26/08/2001	Mugabe's loggers to ravage rainforest The army of Zimbabwe's despotic ruler will help to fell trees in 85m acres of Congo. But the people ...	The Observer (UK)
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LINKS

TITLE	DESCRIPTION	REPORT
Africa Forest Communicators Network (Affcomnet)	Facilitated by the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO), the Africa Forest Communicators Network is a voluntary partnership of forestry communication officers from both private and public sector organizations in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Mozambique, Malawi, Zambia, Zimbabwe and South Africa. The network aims to strengthen forest communication capacity by sharing solutions and best practice techniques to address forestry issues and challenges in the region.	Broken link
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