Veld fires

Veld Fires and the environment

What are veld fires? 

These are fire blazes that get out of control, become wild, and destroy extensive tracts of forests, grasslands, animals, people and their properties in the process .Fire, as part of natural process has a positive role in the vegetation structure and composition, and helps recycle nutrients contained in old and dead trees. There is, however, concern that the frequency, extent and pattern of burning are increasing due to human activities. It is a fact that the damage from these fires has grown to outweigh the benefits of fire on the ecosystem. Frequent burning has implication on carbon stocks and emissions, wildlife habitat, human health and life as well as livelihoods. Fire has caused destruction of property and loss of life around the world. It disturbs the natural balance of the ecosystem.Fire subjects the soil to high temperatures, causing loss of organic matter and drying out of the topsoil. Many classes of organisms are burned and the soil becomes barren. Fire ashes the above ground biomass and litter and may impair the reproductive potential of plants by reducing the seed bank in the soil. Damage may also be caused to below ground roots and tubers. Patterns of seed production, seed germination and seedling establishment of most annual plants is lowered. The woody vegetation resists fire, but the grass and herbaceous components can be eliminated. Veld carrying capacity resultantly becomes low because of 135 changes in vegetation species composition and long-term reduction in herbage production.

Deforestation in Zmibabwe

Deforestation and  its effects in Zimbabwe

Zimbabwe, home to more than 14 million people, is currently facing a severe economic crisis which is contributing to the continued environmental degradation. . This however has been rapidly leading to a high rate of environmental degradation in the form of a high rate of deforestation. During urbanization, large chunks of land are cleared to prepare space for human urban settlements. These acts are not usually met with the opposite, as the trees that are cut down and the nature is not replaced in the same rate, if not at all ignored. 

In newly established cities like Emganwini and Cow-dray Park in Bulawayo, where most households have not been electrified due to the economic recession in the country,people are surviving on the collection of firewood in the nearby plantations.

This is an environmental hazard that in years of practice exposes the land to erosion which then is one of the processes of desertification.

 At Emganwini in 2008 the locals used to collect firewood just after the Plumtree Road, but with the years having passed , firewood is now being collected at Matopo Research which is over 10 km in distance. this means that tall trees and vegetation between Emganwini and Matopo Research have been chopped down . Therefore the land is now subject to agents of erosion.

It is therefore important for environmental protection to make efforts to curb such environmental degradation actions. The first step that is necessary is to educate the public on the continued effects of such land degradation measures. It is also important to consider the origins of such on going deforestation activities, and it is notable that due to the economic recession in Zimbabwe, the government is unable to complete its urban electrification projects.