ZDDT tree planting initiative in Gweru gets recognition from Forestry Commission

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Gweru, Zimbabwe. The Forestry Commission in Gweru has commended ZDDT for its Community Restoration efforts, saying it has cultivated the culture of total community ownership of developmental projects by residents, a principle that has seen meaning development taking place in the “City of Progress”

Forestry Commission Midlands Provincial Manager, Mr Poto, said the Trust is imparting fundamental knowledge to the people in curbing deforestation and consequential desertification.

This revelation came when the ZDDT Field Correspondent, Ntando Sibanda, travelled to cover the annual Gweru Agricultural Show, which took place under the theme of “Empowering People Through Agriculture and Mining.”

“We have worked well with ZDDT. We actually conducted some tree planting projects with them. What made our relationship work well which is a shared realisation that it is very important to work with the local leadership, the local communities and identifying viable conservative measures. Why we thought it is very important to work with these structures is that, without them, we would be fighting a lone battle because when we plant, we are planting for the people. These are the people who actually maintain the trees. In short, they need to feel that the trees are theirs and will benefit them; they need to assume total ownership,” he said.