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Government to deal with illegal indigenous wood markets

Government has announced plans to scale up patrols in protected forest reserves in the country in order to stop illegal wood harvesting.

Minister of Natural Resources, Energy and Mining Bright Msaka issued the warning on Friday, saying his ministry wants to stop illegal indigenous wood markets, which have led to rampant wood harvesting along the Masasa-Golomoti Road in Dedza.Dzalanyama_deforestation

Said Msaka: “We will deal with illegal loggers supplying the market. My ministry has received reports of heavy illegal wood harvesting going on in Khwekhwerere area.

“We are alert to what is going on along the Masasa-Golomoti road, where there has been rampant indigenous wood harvesting.”

Msaka said locals reported to the ministry after seeing trucks loaded with indigenous wood in the area.

He said when the ministry deployed its officers to the area, they impounded a three tonne truck loaded with indigenous wood.

President Peter Mutharika recently pledged to fight any person responsible for plundering wildlife and natural resources in the country.

Mutharika made the pledge when launching the Malawi Parliamentary Conservation Caucus (MPCC) in Lilongwe earlier this month.

 

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