NATURAL RESOURCES

-are naturally occurring features found on top or below the Earth’s surface which can be useful when
exploited

-examples of natural resources are wildlife, forests, wind, minerals, water, trees, soil and fish

Classification of natural resources

a) Renewable resource

-are resources which can be exploited without being finished

-these resources can regenerate or replenish themselve eg. water, forests, solar power, wind and
wildlife

-some resources such as wildlife and trees can be affected by humans and others like wind and solar are
not

b) Non-renewable resources

-are resources which are exhaustible /finite

-their exploitation can lead to their exhaustion

-examples are minerals like gold and diamond and fossil fuels like oil, natural gas and coal

Sustainable utilization of resources

-is the careful and controlled exploitation of resources so that they will be available for future
generations

Factors influencing the exploitation of natural resource

-technology available

-Labour supply

-physical accessibility

-climatic conditions that are prevalent at the location

-Availability of transport

-Demand of the resource

-Cost of extraction of the resource

-Environmental impact of the exploitation of the resource

-alternative supplies of the same resource

Problems faced when exploiting natural resources

-rugged terrain with steep slopes makes setting up of transport networks expensive and difficult

-hot and humid climate which has high incidences of diseases eg equatorial areas

-swampy areas which cause the ground to be unstable. Swamps make resource exploitation difficult
because they have to be drained

-Geological occurence of minerals resources can be a problem. Minerals occurring in folded structures
and below the water table are difficult to extract

-shortage of capital to buy machinery

-shortage of skilled labour

-Outdated technology and machinery

-political instability and civil wars

-pressure from environmental groups eg EMA

FORESTRY

Benefits of forests

-provide food in the form of fruits, honey and wild animals

-trees provide oxygen

-trees are a source of fuel eg woodfel

-trees provide building material

-trees provide fencing material

-trees provide medicines to cure diseases

-trees provide timber for furniture and paper making

-trees protect the soil from erosion

-trees increase the aesthetic value of the environment

-trees provide pastures for both domestic and wild animals

-trees increase the rainfall through evapotranspiration

-trees cool the local environment

-trees take up carbon dioxide thus reducing greenhouse effect and global warming

Problems faced in forestry

-outbreak of pests and diseases

-shortage of water due to droughts

-tropical cyclones and thunderstorms which destroy large areas of forests

-muddy and slippery ground which make construction of roads and railway lines difficult

-outbreak of veldfires which destroy large areas of forests

-Deforestation due to high demand for wood fuel

Solutions to problems

-enforcing environmental laws eg Forestry Act

-high fines for offenders of the law

-introduction of afforestation Programmes by EMA

-Rural electrification to reduce deforestation

-use of alternative sources of energy eg solar power

-use of wood saving stoves eg tsotso stoves

-education on sustainable management of forests

-creation of forest reserves eg Chirinda Forests

-creation of fireguards to protect forests from veldfires

-recycling products that use forest resources eg paper products

-resettlement of people from overcrowded areas to reduce pressure on forest resources

-establishing CAMPFIRE projects to empower rural communities in the management and conservation of
forest resources
-Joining international conventions and protocols related to environmental issues such as the Rio Earth
Summit Convention of 1992, and the Convention in International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES).

Factors influencing exploitation of forests

a) Accessibility of valuable timber

-some forests are inaccessible due to dense vegetation and poor roads

-in the equatorials areas most valuable forests are inaccessible due to muddy and slippery ground which
makes construction of roads difficult

b) Composition of the forest

-trees found in pure stands are easy to extract.

-however some trees are found in mixed stands which makes their exploitation difficult

c)Size of the trees

-some trees are very tall and difficult to cut and transport

-trees in the equatorial areas are difficult to exploit because of buttress roots

FORESTRY IN ZIMBABWE

(i) Indigenous forests

-these are found in the western parts of the country eg in Umguza, Binga, Hwange and some parts of the
Eastern Highlands

-these are hardwoods eg Mopane, mukwa, Teak, Mohagany etc

-these hardwoods are used to make high quality timber, building material and railway slippers

-these are found in the western parts of the country due to

 low rainfall

 high temperatures

 presence of Kalahari sands that store water

 presence of low population densities

(ii) Exotic forests

-these are mostly found in the Eastern Highlands eg Inyanga, Chimanimani and Chipinge

-these are softwoods eg gumtrees, pine-trees and wattle

-exotic forests are found in the Eastern Highlands due to :

 high rainfall

 cool temperatures

 presence of steep well drained slopes

Distribution of forests in Zimbabwe

-Zimbabwe’s natural vegetation is generally described as Savanna woodland

-the density of trees varies from place to place depending on rainfall amounts, temperature, soils and
human activities

-Brachystegia Savanna Woodland(musasa and mutondo) is found on the central highveld where rainfall
is high and is mainly used for woodfuel in both urban and rural areas

-mopani Savanna Woodland is found in the lowveld(Zambezi Valley and Gwayi areas) where rainfall is
low and temperatures are high

-mopani is used for woodfuel, cheap furniture and animals feed as its leaves are nutritious

-the wood is also used for fencing and construction

-Acacia savanna Woodland and baobab are found in the lowvelds where rainfall is extremely low and
temperatures very high

-Acacia is used for woodfuel, grazing and fencing

-Mountain forests are found in the Eastern Highlands where rainfall is very high and temperatures low

-much of the natural mountain vegetation has been removed and replaced by tree crops such as tea,
coffee, fruits, pine and wattle

DEFORESTATION

-is the removal /destruction of vegetation

Causes of deforestation

-poor farming methods eg shifting cultivation and pastoral nomadism

-high demand for wood fuel

-outbreak of veldfires
-Acid rain

-harvesting mopani worms

-clearing of land for farming and settlements

-poor mining methods such as gold panning

-tropical cyclones and thunderstorms which bring violent winds

-wild animals such as elephants

Effects of deforestation

-increase in soil erosion

-development of gullies

-siltation of rivers and dams

-environmental degradation

-increase in global temperatures (global warming)

-loss of aesthetic value of the environment

-loss of animal habitat

-extinction of some animal species

-buying of firewood

-Social conflicts between villages involving forest resources

-walking of long distances searching for firewood

-increased risks of flooding and desertification

-low rainfall due to reduced evapotranspiration

Solutions to problems

-enforcing environmental laws eg Forestry Act

-high fines for offenders of the law

-introduction of afforestation Programmes by EMA

-Rural electrification to reduce deforestation

-use of wood saving stoves eg tsotso stoves

-education on sustainable management of forests

-creation of fireguards protect forests from veldfires

-recycling products that use forest resources eg paper products

-resettlement of people from overcrowded areas to reduce pressure on forest resources

-establishing CAMPFIRE projects to empower rural communities in the management and conservation of
forest resources

FISHING

Importance of fishing

-it is a source of food

-fishing is a source of income

-earns foreign currency

-creates employment

-improves standards of living

-provides raw materials for industries

-promote recreation

Major fish species caught

 hake

 bream

 pilchards

 white fish

 mackerel

 cat fish

 matemba

Methods of fishing
a) Line and hook

b) Dug out canoe

-is a boat made from a tree trunk

c) Basket fish trap

-is made from bamboo and reeds

-the fish swim into the large opening which gradually narrows into a small entrance

-once inside the fish fail to move out of the basket fish trap

d) Fish scoop

-it is used by two men in a boat at night

-fish are scooped into a basket made up of bamboo and reeds

e) Trawl net

-is used in large lakes and oceans

-when the net is full it is dragged and emptied

f) Gill nets

-is used for deep sea fishing

-the net catches fish in large amounts

-the method is not sustainable as it does not discriminate between mature and younger fish

Problems faced in fishing

-overfishing which results in extinction of some fish species

-fog in winter along coastal areas

-fish diseases

-poaching of fish

-pollution of water which causes death of fish

-siltation of rivers and dams

-water weeds which colonise lakes

-poor markets

-shortage of storage facilities eg refrigerators

- stiff competition from advanced countries

Solutions to problems

-licencing fishers/issuing fishing permits

-education of people on conservation of fish

-practising fish farming (aquaculture)

-controlling fishing periods

-putting laws to control the sizes of the nets

-high fines for offenders of the law

-legislation to reduce water pollution

-use of quota system for different fish species

-setting up restricted fishing areas

Benefits of aquaculture to Zimbabwe

-development of the tourist industry eg trout fishing in the Eastern Highlands

-reduction of diseases like malaria and bilharzia as some fish species feed on mosquito larvae or bilharzia
carrying snails

-provision of cheap protein for local population

-is a source of income

-creates employment

-improves standards of living

-generates foreign currency

-allows for the recycling of waste eg chicken droppings are used as fish food

WATER

Multi-purpose river/dam schemes

-these dams and rivers are used for HEP generation, fishing, recreation, irrigation etc

Benefits of river/dams

-provide water for domestic and industrial use

-provides water for irrigation

-act as transport routes

-control flooding

-are used for tourism and recreation

-provide food eg fish

-increase rainfall in an area through evapotranspiration

-act as boundaries

-dams cool the environment

-dams raise the water

-provide habitat for aquatic species

Problems of dams and rivers

-spread water borne diseases eg cholera

-dam failure /bursts cause flooding

-drowning of people and animals

-keep dangerous animals eg hippo and crocodiles

-large dams cause earthquakes and earth tremors

-dams and rivers are communication barriers as they block transport routes

-creation of dams leads to relocation of animals and people

-creation of dams reduces water down stream

Ways of conserving water

-education of people on water conservation

-construction of dams to store water

-sinking boreholes

-fencing and protecting wetlands

-water harvesting

-dredging silted dams

WILDLIFE

-Wildlife refers to all undomesticated plants and animal species

Wildlife management

- means sustainable use of all forms of aquatic or terrestrial animals indigenous to Zimbabwe

Advantages of wildlife management

-Promote tourism which earns the country foreign currency

-creates employment

-improves standards of living

-Provide source of food eg fruits and meat

-Promote trade through trophies and live sales

-Provide gene bank from which other cross breeds can be produced

-Help in seed dispersal

-Forests are essential for soil and water conservation

-Forests are carbon sinks

Disadvantages of wildlife management

- It puts the rights of animals over the rights of men

- It is costly.Large sums of money are spent making payments for land surveys, rehabilitations,
employees and researches which used the money of taxpayers.

-Punishments for violations of wildlife are too much eg people who are caught can be asked to pay hefty
sums of money as fines.
Causes of wildlife loss

-poaching

-outbreak of veldfires

-Deforestation which reduces habitat for animals

-use of pesticides which destroy some animal species

-climate change which causes droughts and desertification

Effects of wildlife loss

-extinction of some animal species

-loss of income from tourism

-loss of jobs

-loss of foreign currency

Types of wildlife management in Zimbabwe

1. National Park

-is a large area of land which is protected by the government because of its natural beauty, plants and
animals

-national parks contain wildlife, mountains, rivers and historical monuments

-there are 11 national parks in Zimbabwe covering 6.8% of the land

-examples include Hwange, Zambezi, Victoria Falls, Gonarezhou, Chizarira, Mana Pools, Matopos,
Mutusadona etc

2. Safari Areas

-are areas set aside for recreational hunting of wild animals

-examples are Tuli, Malipati, Dande, Zhete, Sapi etc

3. Botanical Reserves

-these focus on protection of individual species of plants and animals

4. Recreational Parks

-these are places where wildlife and natural features are protected to maintain biological diversity
-are developed closer to dams for purposes of recreation

-examples are Lake Kariba, Lake Chivero and Sebakwe Dam

5. Sanctuaries

-are areas where animals are kept indoors and protected eg Chipangali

HUMAN WILDLIFE CONFLICT

-is the interaction between wild animals and people

-it examines the negative impacts of people on animals and their habitat and negative impact of animals
on people and their resources

-expansion of human population leads to conflict over living space and land

-clearing of vegetation leads to depletion of animal habitat

-in Africa wildlife is under pressure (threat) from poachers, agriculture, mining and expansion of
settlements

-the animals under threat are elephants, rhinos, impalas, rabbits, cheetahs and tigers

-wild animals also kill humans, destroys crops and property and degrade the environment

-wild animals such as lions kill domestic animals

Solutions to human and wildlife conflict

-establish CAMPFIRE projects

-education of people on wildlife importance and conservation

-establish national parks

-passing strict environmental laws to stop poaching

-high fines for law offenders

CAMPFIRE

-it stands for Communal Areas Management Programme for Indigenous Resources

-was established in 1988 to ensure that local communities benefited from hunting conducted in their
areas

-it was designed to control wildlife exploitation in rural areas

-profits obtained from the project were used for community benefit
-it empowers local communities on natural resource management

-villagers work with government agencies in managing the environment

Benefits of CAMPFIRE

-creates employment for rural people

-improves standards of living

-reduces dependency on agriculture/ diversifies rural economies

-is a source of income

-empowers rural communities to properly manage natural resources