Residents told to protect Pugu and Kazimzumbwi forests
Pugu and Minaki secondary school's students during their tour at Pugu Forest
What you need to know:
- Dar es Salaam City Council has called on residents to protect the Pugu forest due to the pivotal role it plays in Dar es Salaam.
Tanzania Forest Service (TFS) has insisted that the Pugu forest remains a vital resource given its contribution to the ecosystem and the environment in Dar es Salaam Region.
Speaking to Pugu and Minaki Secondary School students at Kazimzumbwi, the head of the publicity unity at the TFS Mr Shaban Kiula, said, if the forest will be destroyed it is most likely that weather condition in the city will be adversely disturbed.
According to Kiula the weather in Dar es Salaam, largely depends on both Pugu and Kazimzumbwi forests.
“Pugu and Kazimzumbwi forests are ‘the lungs of Dar es Salaam’, so we need to protect them because more than five million people depend on them for their survival,” he said.
According to him, a decade ago the Pugu and Kazimzimbwi forests were being destroyed by human activities.
Kiula said TFS had organized a tour to the forests in order to enable students from the two schools to understand the importance of the forests.
Speaking at the same event, TFS Marketing Manager Mariam Kobello called upon Tanzanians reiterating the need to cultivate a culture of visiting forests as well as protecting them.
According to her this will enable the country to earn foreign currencies through tourism and forest products.
