By Bisola Adeyemo
As effort to preserve the environment, Zimbabwean government has chosen the first Saturday of every December as the National Tree Planting Day (NTPD).
The day commences as part of an effort to mitigate the effects of climate change by motivating the nation to plant and conserve trees.
This year’s day will be celebrated on Saturday with the theme “Trees and Forests for Ecosystem Restoration and Improved Livelihoods.”
Zimbabwe is richly endowed with plants of medicinal value and has more than 1,200 known indigenous tree species, the local media reports.
Monkey bread or camel’s foot which is also known as ihabahaba or mutukutu, or piliostigma thinning is an important tree and has been declared as Zimbabwe’s tree of the year for 2021.
As part of the NTPD commemorations, some trees are chosen because they are potentially subject to extinction, and its planting and conservation can enhance the environment and ecosystem integrity.
Aside from its health benefits, Zimbabwe trees also make good woods that are suitable for poles, firewood, carpentry, construction, making household utensils, and farm implement.