By Musyani Siame
Many feeder roads in Lusaka have been stripped off of the trees and left naked due to road constructions. From independence avenue to Haile Selassie to Great East Road, to Lake Road, to Kabulonga Road and to many more, the view of the roads has turned into a sorry site and the pain of deforestation is unbearable to the people who value trees.
Take for instance, Haile Selassie Street in Long Acres was not so long ago one of the prettiest road to drive on because of its beautiful array of trees alongside. These trees did not only provide the beautiful scenery in the manner they were arranged but also a nice shade with colorful flowers during summer and fresh air to the environment making Long Acres more attractive including the business complex.
(Long acres Business Complex along Haile Selassie Road: Picture Courtesy of Project Environment 2020)
Moreover, these trees have been in existence since the colonial era and one mighty say they have really been standing for many years. However, the trees and their goodness along the roads have continued to be cut down in just a short a period of time to pave way for the rise of the new monster in town ‘’road constructions’’ under government’s Lusaka decongestion project. The sacrifice of trees on most roads has come at a cost when the construction of roads become priority by the government.
Nevertheless, the expansion of roads in Lusaka is triggering mega questions to the general populace. Firstly, are road constructions a necessary evil to the surrounding trees and people? Secondly, should we keep seeing our nice feeder roads being stripped-off of the beautiful trees and leave them naked and exposed to the effects of climate change? Thirdly, are there ways in which government can expand roads without cutting down trees? Fourthly, are there ways also we can replace the already cut down trees and restore all the functions and benefits fallen trees used to provide?
While such questions remain unanswered, I am tempted to believe that solutions lie within ourselves as people and all stakeholders to begin to undertake both intensive and extensive tree planting projects along the affected roads and help the city to cope with the effects of climate change such as floods and drought and increase the longevity of our roads as well as people.
The citizens of Lusaka and the government, working together alongside civil society organizations can see to it that trees are replanted back along the roads after the completion of the road constructions. It is also the mandate of the contractors working on various roads to conform to the terms of references of their Environmental Impact Assessment (EIAs) which explicitly exemplify vegetation cover replacement projects at the completion of a project before the trees risk being wiped out in the city. Monitors and regulator of road projects must up their game and help replant the fallen trees. The truth of the matter is that; many more streets are about to be undressed as they lineup for road expansions.
I cry for these trees because they exist to give us hope for life. Hope to a better future. The trees along the roads function together and are connected in one way or another to the roots and to the branches. This is a symbol of unit, peace, love and togetherness. So, as a people we need to emulate this ecological life of trees which we can only do when they are standing and we can only see them standing when we replant.
When we are united with love to one another and spirit of togetherness, we can conquer and achieve the common good just like the way trees do. Just to give a little more latitude to this fact, this can be lesson to the various political groupings ahead of 2021 general elections. Let’s emulate the nature of trees because to a higher degree, trees can teach us how to replace political violence with love. From trees we can learn how to replace political vengeance with forgiveness. And from trees we can learn how to replace political hate speech with good speech. From trees we can learn how to replace tribalism with the spirit of togetherness and oneness. Therefore, we cry for these fallen trees along the streets at the realm of road constructions because they are our hope and the future.
As a people of good will, we urge the government, the public, the NGOs, road contractors, environmental regulators etc. to come together and find ways of restoring trees along the streets especially that urban forestry has dwindled in Lusaka mainly due to deforestation.
I feel government must deliberately set up a fund to support urban tree planting projects. Although there are few channels of funding to tree planting projects such as the one under Ministry of National Development Planning, many stakeholders in environmental sector do not know about them because of lack of awareness by the government on availability of such funds and how to access them.
On the other side, NGOs dealing with environmental issues such as deforestation have become too reluctant in pioneering tree planting projects in the face of road infrastructure development. Nevertheless, a few are exceptional and I can take this opportunity to recognize the relentless efforts made by Earth Alive Group organization for advancing urban tree planting awareness programs.
As I conclude, I would like to remind you that trees provide hope and life. Let’s plant trees and help combat effects associated with climate change. If you indeed want to leave legacy plant a tree. I am not in any way implying that road development projects are bad, but they need to be implemented in a sustainable manner which does not pose a threat to the environment.
The Author is an Environmental Consultant
Forget its all about you buying 15 cars for a family of only 3. What do you expect? Each child is driving in a family of 15. Also ma-some-of -us imwe dont use buses so you are always driving and making congestions and congestions. This tree carnage is a necessary evil whether you like it or not. But we can plant more trees along the same roads so long they dont disturb the road like it was along Chikwa road. Remember those nasty roots making you go up and down within short distances – ati manone yaba!!!
Yes its a necessasry evil.
This causes climate change issues and that is why from 05 hours till now going to 17hrs there is no Zesco power in Nkana East along ndeke road in Kitwe. Tough
Some postings kuwaya ways fye. In this era, you don’t see the need to open and expand roads? Come back to the village and see trees. We need to change into the new era.
We do need better infrastructure to facilitate movement of humans, their vehicles and goods, but it should not be at the expense of plant life which itself has a contribution to make to the natural environment. There should be a deliberate policy by government of ensuring that for every tree cut there is a replacement. These trees have taken many years to grow and have not reached their full potential. When a human being dies in the prime of their life we talk about their “untimely death” and express such a loss by saying what a waste of valuable human life. So should we be saying about the trees we cut down before they reach their full potential. It is such a waste of a precious natural resource to bring about this “untimely demise” of our trees. Trees have a value in and of…
… themselves, independent of the benefits we derive from them. They cannot speak for themselves. We need to speak for them and protect what is in their interest to grow to their full potential and provide life support to other living organisms such as birds, worms and termites whose lives are dependent on them.
Current road expansions in the city and consequent cutting down of trees along them is a direct symptom of poor or lack of urban and country planning. The Lusaka we are living in today was last planned in 70s when it the country’s population was about 5million,today we 17+million. If we had continuously planned and implemented city expansion,we would not have a situation where almost everything is concentrated in one place leading to congestion. We could have also left enough road reserves for further expansion with enough room for more tree planting. Right now,in most places,there is not even room to replant trees as there is not enough between the expanded roads and buildings. We lack leaders with foresight and will power to create beautiful cities. Right now,good residential areas are…
..continued. Lack of foresight and planning can be seen in how we have failed to rectify past mistakes by for example buying off Kalingalinga and advertise it for proper development, taking the show grounds outside the city and properly developed the areas for enhanced commercial value.Everything right now is happening in piece meal!!
The world needs trees. Humans want cars. A healthy compromise is needed
Sad reading……..
GRZ should be actively , rigourously promoting 2 things …….
” Buying Zambian is laka” and ” one man 10 trees pa ”
That is why we are saying the primary education system, from which 90% of our people pass through , should have an environmental awareness subject to teach our people about garbage disposal , water preservation, importance of planting and preserving trees and our natural environment.
….Right now good residential areas are being eaten by ugly high rise office blocks,that are being squeezed in small areas meant for Bungalows,in trees chopped of lawns taken offer poorly arranged pavings! And then look at lack of environmental considerations in most of the buildings being put up by PF Govt,barracks,Police camps,schools including hospitals;all trees chopped off leaving building totally exposed to wind and dust.For them is is showing off unprecedented infrastructure development to the gullible not knowing that they are destroying the environment!!
Surery, do you expect people to stop driving because you want to save trees or the inviroment? Then let’s stop expanding our farms as well inorder to save the inviroment and see if we shall have enough food to sustain ourselves in the next few years to come. The trees you’re talking about did not come there naturally but were planted by people like ourselves and we can replicate their vision after the roads are done. What is the complaint about if it is not just to find a fault in the current government developmental projects?
Compartmentalized thinking and lack of inclusive consultations! Infrastructure development is a necessity and so is environmental protection. Trees add beauty both in greenery and when in blossom to a concrete jungle, and to the people a sense of bonding with nature. The drafters of contracts omit some cardinal considerations as vegetation that gets affected when construction works are underway. The question of restoring the trees by replanting with new ones is never in consideration though when constructing the road from the Kafue round about to Makeni the company that did the road, actually replanted the trees besides the road! However the sad thing is that the trees always fall victim as branches are stripped for use as “warning triangles” for hazards on the road! A lot of education…
My biggest worry is the lack of provisions for pedestrians and cyclists in the new roads. At least the colonialists planned for pedestrians and cyclists on busy arteries they traversed residential areas.
Nomba ulefwaya tu chite strip abakashi bobe?
Ba Environmental consultant AFCONS the company doing the roads said they will plant 5000 trees, this is so they can replace the trees they uprooted along many roads, and will still plant on roads that previously had no trees.
I do not see a problem created by road expansion. In the first place, it is a reality that we need to expand our roads. Secondly, the trees being referred to were planted after the initial road was done. What is the problem to plant new ones after the road has been expanded. What type environmentalists are you who do not understand the harnessing of plants around your buildings
The energy and time you spent typing this article you could have gone to plant new trees along the new road….learn to act not always foto foto pa ka keyboard just because uli naka website!!!! Ala.
This is what happens when you sign loan contracts from foreign countries hastily, you want to get the money in your pockets without environmental considerations. how can you uproot trees that have been there before independence? We have plunders with no care for the future just petty thieves.
You hideous looking man. Take that stolen money of yours and go see a professional plastic surgeon. You are an eyesore. Ka polo iwe. Probably have horrendous looking children as well. Ugly families like yours should be put down.
Abena KZ bena amashinshya yekayeka mumutwe .
They need to replant trees. Aaahe pedestrian atshani…!!
They need to replant trees. Aaahe pedestrian atshani…!!