By Pempho Nkhoma
Blantyre District Forestry Officer Noel Moyo has disclosed that they are targeting to plant 1.2 million trees during the ongoing 2025/2026 National Forestry Season.
Moyo told the Malawi News Agency (MANA) on Thursday that the district has strategised to work with communities at all levels, starting with primary schools, to promote the adoption of a tree per learner until it gets established.
“We are targeting schools, riparian zones, fragile areas (sloppy areas like hills), bare areas, and homesteads. At the community level, we are working with the Village Natural Resources Management Committee (VNRMCS), which provides guidance on tree planting and taking care of planted trees,” Moyo said.
He said the previous tree-planting season was affected by a dry spell experienced in December 2024 and January 2025, coupled with limited resources to facilitate the planting programmes.“To address the challenge of limited resources, the office has engaged partners and stakeholders. Some have positively responded,” Moyo added.
He therefore appealed to community members to actively participate in tree planting programs, taking advantage of the rains that the district is experiencing.
Meanwhile, the Executive Director for the Coordination Union for the Rehabilitation of the Environment (CURE), Charles Mkoka, emphasised the need for re-strategising on tree planting, particularly focusing on the restoration of indigenous tree species in Blantyre.
“In Blantyre, all areas with trees are vanishing at the speed of light. Blantyre had four hills with vibrant forests, namely Mpingwe, Ndirande, Soche, and Michiru, which had natural species of trees before, but we cut them down,” Mkoka said.
He stressed the need to channel efforts towards ensuring those chopped-down indigenous species can be restored through natural regeneration and flourish back as cover to protect the ecosystem.
“We need to reclaim the lost glory of our initial ecosystems and the beauty brought to the city,” he added.
During the previous forestry season, Blantyre District planted 1.1 million trees, and over 65 per cent survived.
The 2025/2026 National Forestry Season runs from December 15 to April 15, 2026, under the theme “Trees and Forests for Community Resilience”.
