Rundu - The Kapinga Kamwalye Conservancy in the Mashare constituency of Kavango East is facing a crisis of illegal tree harvesting. At one crime scene, about 86 logs of illegally harvested Kiaat timber, scientifically known as Pterocarpus Angolensis, were found and 10 at another by conservancy members who were
patrolling and inspecting the vicinity. The harvesting of timber is prohibited in conservancies, and there is an active moratorium which also prohibits any harvesting of timber anywhere in Namibia. The forests in the two Kavango regions suffer from continuous illegal tree harvesting, and perpetrators are always just fined and their timber confiscated, but they continue again. "If found, the authorities are supposed to fine the perpetrators as well as prosecute them. There is a possibility of arrest in this case, and the Rundu forestry officials should have been informed to confiscate the timber and investigate the scene as well as take action as no harvesting should take place now," said the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism’s spokesperson Romeo
Muyunda.