FOREST DEPARTMENT BEMOANS COVID -19 OVER TREE PLANTING EXERCISE

Director in the Department of Forestry Clement Chilima has said that the country will not manage to plant 60 million trees that were projected during the tree planting season this year.

Chilima disclosed this today in Dedza.

Meanwhile Chilima attributes the failure to plant trees is due to Covid -19 restrictions and low level of investment in afforestation.

Chilima disclosed this at Yohane Village in Dedza where by the European Union Head of Cooperation Ivo Hoefkens visited a timber woodlot that was planted with their funding.

He also planted a tree and cleared the bushes.

Hoefkens expressed satisfaction with the survival rate of trees planted under their funded project , adding that discussions are underway with the government on other areas that need investment to mitigate the effects of climate change.