21 Nov 2022

Mokgalo tree was the highlight of this year’s National Tree Planting Day commemorated in Matsiloje recently.

The tree was chosen as the theme to encourage the community to find ways of taking forests back to their natural state and to plant more indigenous plants that were either used for medicinal purposes, food or shade.

In Botswana, wood from Mokgalo tree is used for timber or making fence posts.

In his keynote address, Mupani Mine CEO, Mr Benjamin Keboi emphasised the importance of protecting the environment since most indigenous trees were becoming extinct.

Mr Keboi said the southern part of the country, starting with greater Gaborone, had few indigenous trees due to deforestation, which had left people without a choice, but to use planks for firewood.

He urged residents to stop cutting down indigenous trees, in particular Mophane, which is also predominant in the village, saying it provided food and revenue in the form of phane worm that is sold across borders as delicacy and as livestock feed.

“In the Greater Gaborone, Mophane firewood is making business and sold at exorbitant prices rendering depletion of this tree,” he said.

In addition, he said in the olden days, trees were used sparingly, in a sustainable way since people knew that they gave life.

Mr Keboi said public education about tree planting with emphasis on replacing trees that had been cut to pave way for infrastructural developments such as schools, stadiums, and roads was vital.

Area councillor, Ms Flora Mpetsane said trees planted at the village park on the day were everyone’s responsibility.

These included Mokgalo, Monepenepe, Morula, and Moporota.

She noted that education was paramount in ensuring that all were informed in matters of environmental conservation and climate change.

“When we speak of the environment, we speak of climate change, all countries speak clean environment and as such, tree planting creates a balance in the environment,” she added.

Cllr Mpetsane echoed similar sentiments that Mokgalo tree was on the verge of becoming extinct and called for appropriate conservation methods to be implemented.

One of the village elders, Ms Anne Koveya, who is known for planting trees and vegetables said the park where trees had been planted should be taken care of and used to generate income for the village development committee.

She urged residents to plant more trees that could add value to the park. ENDS