By Wongani Mkandawire & Innocent Chunga.

Nkhotakota, January 24, Mana: Nkhotakota District Council on Tuesday launched the 2023/2024 tree planting season at Dzikonilonse Primary School in area of Traditional Authority (T/A) Kalimanjira.

The launch came with call for the people of the district and various stakeholders to take part in the exercise of taking care of these trees to increase their survival chances.

Speaking in an interview, Principal District Forestry Officer George Zibophe said the district plans to plant 1.3 million trees in various areas in the district in order to bring back the district's lost vegetation and fight land degradation.

Zibophe said about 70 percent of tree seedlings that were planted last year have survived, adding his office has since encouraged various stakeholders to join hands in the exercise of planting and caring for these trees.

"Stakeholders should take part in addressing some gaps in the exercise, but our office will continue providing technical expertise for increased survival rate of the trees in the district." Said Zibophe.

Chairperson for Nkhotakota District Council, Councilor Charles Chimzukuzuku, said the council is committed to ensure the tree planting exercise taken at community level is in line with environmental conservation activities in the district.

T/A Kalimanjira commended the exercise, observing that this will create natural assets in his jurisdiction which will benefit his community now and generations to come.

Various stakeholders, including government of Iceland, African Parks, Ripple Africa, Umunthu Plus, Bathu Premium Water and Wildlife Environmental Society of Malawi (WESM), supported the tree planting activity in the district.

The country is expected to plant 34 million trees this season under the theme “Forest Innovation in Action: Reforestation for Sustainable Tomorrow" and the exercise is expected to end in April this year.