In an inspiring environmental initiative, funeral services giant Nyaradzo Group, in collaboration with Friends of the Environment (FOTE), has taken significant strides to combat deforestation across the country through an ambitious tree-planting campaign. The project, initiated in 2010 by the Nyaradzo Group, involves planting a tree with every burial conducted.
In an interview FOTE Project Officer Augustine Mukaro said the initiative was born out of a profound respect for the departed and a commitment to preserving the environment. “The decision was also informed by the widespread deforestation that we witnessed as we carried out our business in different communities every day. Traditionally sacred burial places were being destroyed as people tried to meet daily energy needs. We decided to make a contribution in our own small way,” said Mukaro
According to Mukaro, in 2010, the Forestry Commission of Zimbabwe published alarming statistics revealing that 330,000 hectares of trees were being destroyed annually in the country, equivalent to approximately 528 million trees per year.
At this rate, Mukaro said the report warned, Zimbabwe’s forests would be completely wiped out within 52 years. This dire prediction underscored the urgency of addressing deforestation, a chief global ecological tragedy of modern times. “Deforestation is accelerating due to tobacco curing, farming expansion, timber and paper demands, veldt fires, and energy needs. Much of our rural landscape lies desolate, and we are faced with creeping deserts, hence the need for immediate action,” he said
This pressing reality drove the formation of Friends of the Environment Trust (FOTE) in November 2010. FOTE, an environmental advocacy group, unites like-minded corporate entities to champion the re-greening of Zimbabwe through extensive tree planting efforts.
“We invited other corporates to join FOTE, creating an environmental awareness initiative,” Mukaro stated. Since then, we have established tree seedling nurseries and scaled up our tree-planting activities. We are pleased to advise that we have made a lot of progress and believe our target of planting 500 million trees is achievable,” he added.
The efforts of FOTE and Nyaradzo Group have already energized many Zimbabweans, raising awareness about the critical need for reforestation to combat climate change.
