Yesterday (Sunday 16 June 2024) three more trees were cut down along 210st in Kuwadzana 2, just before OK shopping centre. One was musawu, approximately 15 – 20 years old, and two other tipuana tipu trees that were 3 years old. With these, we now have 12 trees that have been cut down on the same area since our first record in December 2022.
Witnesses, including vendors who sell fruits under the musawu tree shed said that the trees were cut down by some men who claimed that the trees were obscuring the visibility of their billboard. They cut down the trees using a chainsaw and then loaded the wood in their truck.
The Kuwadzana 2 Municipal Police said that they were not aware of any notice of the removal of the trees.
This cutting down of trees is affecting us as residents because the trees have been helping with trapping dust and other pollutants, they have been providing shed, regulating temperatures and taking care of our physical and mental health. This is an act of blatant environmental injustice on the people living in low income high density suburbs such as Kuwadzana.