Caála — Cuima commune, municipality of Caála, province of Huambo, has lost, in three years, a total of 45 percent of the forest area as a result of massive logging, ANGOP learnt Thursday.
The devastation of the Cuima forest perimeter, created during the colonial era, with 18,000 hectares, was disproportionate to the replacement programmes for cedars, eucalyptus and pines.
The Director of Agriculture and Fisheries of the Municipality of Caála, Avelino Alfredo, speaking to ANGOP, said that the exploitation of the forest polygon is part of the project of sustained economic promotion, focused on the improvement of the living conditions of the population and, at the same time, contribute to the reduction of imports.
To this end, the companies "Estrelas da Floresta" and "Mbundi Limitada" have been approved by the government authorities, in order to be able to repopulate the perimeter and thus guarantee the preservation of biodiversity.
He said that the Estrela da Floresta company managed to repopulate 530 hectares with species of cedar, eucalyptus and pine, while "Mbundi Limitada" reached 50 hectares in area, with the planting of eucalyptus.
Likewise, the public forestry company for wood in Angola (Madang) has launched a study on the current state of the Cuima Forest Polygon, in order to define administrative policies and good practices for the sustainability of the perimeters, putting the emphasis on rational operation in environmental protection and ecological sustainability.
Avelino Alfredo said that the administrative authorities are working to promote awareness campaigns against fires, the construction of houses and cultivation in forest perimeters.
He explained that the campaigns serve to raise awareness of ecological values and, at the same time, contribute to the fight against uncontrolled burning and deforestation.
The initiative, according to the official, aims to conserve green spaces and seek healthy habits to protect the environment.
The municipality of Caála, one of 11 in the province of Huambo, has an estimated forest area of 25,000 hectares, particularly in the perimeters of Calenga, Cuima and Tchandenda.
