International Day of Forests 2023; Tadiwanashe Chigumira’s letter to Headman Mukahanana, on importance of Forests to the, Ndorikanda Village, Zongoro Community.

St James Zingoro Primary School
P O Box 313
Mutare

21 March 2023

The Village Head
Headman Mukahanana
Ndorikanda Village
Ward 16,
Mutasa

Dear Sir

RE: INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FORESTS 2023; BENEFITS OF FORESTS TO THE VILLAGERS IN OUR COMMUNITY.

I am happy to write this letter telling you about the benefits of forests to the villagers in our community.

A forest is a group of trees and grasses covering the soil. Forests play a big role in our day to day lives. Grass and tree leaves give food to both herbivores and omnivores. Tree leaves purify the air and filter the water underground using their roots.

They take in carbon dioxide and give us oxygen. Trees are used as shade for both people and animals in hot times. Forests are used as herbs for certain diseases like the Morula trees also known as Mupfura. It provides vitamin B3 and it prevents pellagra. Morula fruits are used to brew beer. There should be stiffer consequences for cutting down trees. Let’s avoid wild fires and let’s encourage reforestation in our community.

Trees protect the ozone layer which protects people from direct sunlight and heat. That is why every first Saturday of December of each year there is a National Tree Planting Day in Zimbabwe. Trees provide both indigenous and exotic fruits. They also take dangerous gases in the air that cause certain diseases like asthma and lung cancer. There are trees like Muchakata and Mutsambapfumo which we use to clean our teeth.

Yours Faithfully

Tadiwa Chigumira

Tadiwanashe Chigumira is a member of the Zongoro Primary School Wildlife Club in Mutasa District in Manicaland. This is what he has to say on International Day of Forests 2023. He is 11 years old and in Grade 6. The Environmental BUdiies Zimbabwe Catch-Them-Young Project in partnership with ZimParks Manicaland is taking Environmental Education to schools and encouraging students to participate in Environmental Protection