<\/p>\n\n\n\n
By Fanuel Chinowaita<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n 08 December 2024<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n Mutare<\/em>-In a significant move to combat climate change and restore ecosystems, the Mutare City Council and Mega Market planted 2,143 trees yesterday at the Natvest industrial area as part of their tree-planting day initiative.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The newly planted trees include 1,700 indigenous trees and 443 fruit trees, marking a significant step toward environmental restoration and sustainable livelihoods.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Speaking at the event, Mutare City Council\u2019s Assistant Director for Housing, Mr. Noel Mushangwe, emphasized the council’s commitment to making the city greener. \u201cWe made a resolution to regreen and regenerate the environment,\u201d Mushangwe said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He pointed out that flash floods are increasingly affecting areas such as Zimta, Chikanga, Destiny, Dangamvura, and Hobhouse due to deforestation and unsustainable agricultural practices on mountains and along rivers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n “Our mountains are now barren. If a disaster like Cyclone Idai were to strike again, the city would be very vulnerable, leading to potential loss of lives and destruction of infrastructure,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mushangwe also addressed the contrasting climatic conditions within the city. Low-density areas like Murambi, Borderview, and Greenside experience slightly cooler and wetter climates compared to high-density areas such as Dangamvura, Chikanga, and Natview, where heat waves and water shortages are more prevalent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis variation is tied to tree coverage,\u201d Mushangwe noted. \u201cHigh-density areas tend to have more trees compared to low-density suburbs, which were historically well-shaded but are now losing tree cover.<\/p>\n\n\n\n For instance, Dangamvura once had abundant mazhanje trees, and its name reflects the plentiful water it once had. Today, the situation is very different, with increased heat and less rainfall.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n He expressed concern over unsustainable practices like deforestation for firewood, farming in river servitudes such as the Sakubva River, and the vandalism of water and sewer infrastructure. “By planting food trees, we aim to provide sustainable livelihoods and educate residents on modern agricultural methods like permaculture, aquaponics, and hydroponics.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Speaking on behalf of Mega Market, Mr. Vig highlighted the importance of partnerships in tackling environmental challenges. \u201cPublic-Private Partnerships in tree planting are tangible steps towards the restoration of ecosystems and contribute to the livelihoods of those who support our business,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Engineer Tafadzwa Mambure, also representing Mega Market, elaborated on the company\u2019s commitment to environmental sustainability. \u201cToday\u2019s event aligns with the national theme, \u2018Trees and Forests for Ecosystem Restoration and Improved Livelihoods,\u2019\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n He added, \u201cAs a company, we are committed to balancing business growth with environmental conservation. Each tree planted today represents a step towards nurturing healthier ecosystems and fostering resilient livelihoods for future generations.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Mambure further emphasized the significance of the initiative. \u201cThe 1,700 indigenous trees will help restore ecosystems, while the 443 fruit trees will generate economic benefits for the local community. This reflects our commitment to a sustainable future,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Despite the absence of Mutare Mayor Cllr Chabuka and the Town Clerk Mr. Chafesuka, the event brought together representatives from the city council, Mega Market, and members of the community. Participants planted trees under the banner, \u201cRoots to Homes \u2013 Mega Market, Our Green Vision,\u201d symbolizing the commitment to a greener and more sustainable Mutare.<\/p>\n\n\n\n This collaborative effort serves as a model for addressing climate change and improving livelihoods through environmental conservation and education.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" By Fanuel Chinowaita 08 December 2024 Mutare-In a significant move to combat climate change and restore ecosystems, the Mutare City Council and Mega Market planted 2,143 trees yesterday at the Natvest industrial area as part of their tree-planting day initiative. The newly planted trees include 1,700 indigenous trees and 443 fruit trees, marking a significant…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-106","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=106"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":441,"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/106\/revisions\/441"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=106"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=106"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/thewasupost.co.zw\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=106"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}