Various stakeholders have in the past called for a clearcut policy on the administration of the country’s forests where there was lack of community participation in woodland and forest management.

The company’s corporate affairs manager, Mr Dzidzai Maruzane, said the consultations marked the beginning of a long process whose objectives are to realign the Zimbabwe forest policy and legislation so that they are in keeping with realities on the ground.

“The process will focus on two aspects, namely, the participation of local communities in the management of woodlands in gazetted forests, communal and resettlement areas and commercialisation of minor forest produce,” he said.

 Mr Maruzane said existing legislation did not allow a community to participate in the management of the communal forests.

“The legislation was used in the colonial era, whereby the community did not have any input in the administration and management of communal forests. The Forest Act governs gazetted State forests while other related resources fall under the Land Forest Produce (Act),” he said.

He said there was no need of having two laws which all dealt with the management of forests and woodlands.

He said several reviews on the forestry policy and legislation had since been carried out and some of the recommendations included the need for the Forestry Commission to regulate forestry training.

The reviews also urged tobacco farmers to grow their own wood, which is usually used in the curing of the crop.

“It is important to note that forest policy and legislation in Zimbabwe has not been appropriately amended to reflect realities on the ground. The communal Lands Forest Produce Act specifically prohibits the selling of forest products.

“New industries such as wood carving depend on raw timber sourced from the communal woodlands or from illegal logging in gazetted State forests, and yet the current legislation is silent on the regulation of the woodcraft industry,” he said.

He said they would want a situation where there was local community recognition through its involvement in various forests and woodland management activities.

“The present legislation does not permit the sale of wild fruits such as uXakuxaku, uMkhemeswane and many others. So there is no way we can police commercialisation of such products from minor forests.