Victoria Falls Anti-Poaching Unit

Environmental Poaching

"Working together to conserve our natural heritage."

_________________________________________________________________________________________________

Home
Background and Success
Subsistence Poaching
Commercial Poaching
Education and Employment
Rescue and Rehabilitation
Our Team and Supporters
Newsletter

 

What is Environmental Poaching?

Environmental Poaching is the poaching or removal of the plants, trees, soil, and other local species and parts of the habitat.  With the deteriorating economic situation the increase of poaching on the environment has grown exponentially.  Sand is being poached for use to make bricks for shelter.  Quarry stone being taken for construction purposes.  Trees are being cut down for firewood, carvings, and structural supports.  Plants are being taken for food. 

Wood Poached for Fuel

One of the major illegal activities faced is the unsustainable utilization of indigenous hardwoods, which are removed from the surrounding state protected forests. A number of indigenous hardwood trees such as African Ebony (Diospyros mespiliformis), Pod Mahogany (Afzelia quansensis) and the Mukwa (Pterocarpus angolensis) are targeted to produce wooden curios for the tourist market. There are estimated 5000 curio vendors in Victoria Falls, whose income depends solely upon sales of curios to tourists, but the rate at which the forests are depleting is alarming. Research from the Forestry Commission indicates that 80% of the Mukwa trees have been destroyed from certain areas!

Apart from the commercial side of wood poaching, vast quantities of wood are removed from the protected areas on a daily basis for basic needs, such as fuel.

 Various woods collected for firewood         Leadwood                               Zambezi Teak cut down for firewood             
                                                                       (Combretum imberbe)               (Baikea Plurijuga)