Nearly 2.5 million hectares of land affected by wildfires

The minister of environment, tourism and forestry, Pohamba Shifeta, says nearly 2.5 million hectares of land in Namibia are affected by wildfires.

Deforestation is driven by a large majority of rural people depending on wood biomass for energy needs, unsustainable use of wood resources, and slash-and-burn practices to expand agricultural activities, Shifeta said at Oshakati on Friday.

He was speaking at an event to mark National Arbour Day, under the theme ‘Forest and Innovation: New Solutions for a Better World’.

“This is befitting as innovation and technology are transforming how we protect and utilise forests, as the world confronts challenges such as deforestation and forest degradation,” Shifeta said.

“The theme showcases the vital role of technology and innovation in forest conservation, combating deforestation, habitat degradation and climate change,” he added.

Shifeta said this year’s event has a particular focus of promoting tree planting in urban development planning, around residential areas, along town and city streets, and also the creation of urban forest parks.

Shifeta added that the expansion of townships is a major factor causing a loss of indigenous tree species in many places.

“It is therefore vital to raise awareness on the importance of urban greening so that trees removed during the development are replaced in double or triple numbers. The ministry and our stakeholders have long recognised the importance of involving learners in environmental issues.

Henceforth, the inclusion of a Namibian child in tree planting educational programs is key to ensuring sustainable forest conservation and management. When a learner is made aware, chances are that information will be passed on to the parents and their peers,” he said.

To date, the Ministry of Environment, Tourism and Forestry has made tree seedlings available through sales at a subsidised price and donations.Shigeta said an annual target of 20 000 tree seedlings is being made available for donation during international and national days such as International Day of Forests and National Arbour Day.