Chikangawa Forest closed, MDF soldiers to guard it

Advertisement
Chikangawa forest

Malawi government through the department of Natural resources has closed Chikangawa forest in a bid to conserve the trees in the forest, Malawi24 has learnt.

The development comes hot in the heels of breaching of agreements between timber millers and government who had both promised to replant trees after making products from trees, a thing they have failed to do.

Chikangawa forest
Chikangawa forest: Not for use now.

The forest has also suffered from fierce fires that took away the life of trees in the country’s biggest man made forest.

Spokesperson for the department of natural resources Sagwani Phiri said government has finally stopped all activities that were to be done through the use of trees.

Phiri added that Malawi Defense Force (MDF) soldiers are to take responsibility of effecting the action.

“We want to achieve justice between government and the timber milling companies because what we have been agreeing is not what they are doing at the forest” said Phiri.

Apart from timber milling, Chikangawa has also been a source of living by communities around who make charcoal to sell for there survival- a development that has depleted trees in the forest.

The 54 000 hectare Viphya Plantations popularly known as Chikangawa stretches from Mzimba and Nkhatabay districts in the northern region.