Midlands Marks National Tree Planting Day With Major Rehabilitation Milestone in Boterekwa

By Itai Mazire

Shurugwi —Midlands Province on Saturday commemorated the 2025 National Tree Planting Day at Chenxi Mine in Shurugwi, spotlighting significant environmental rehabilitation efforts that have transformed sections of the once-degraded Boterekwa escarpment.

The event, attended by senior government officials, security chiefs, traditional leaders, the Forestry Commission, EMA, community groups and local schools, saw the planting of 2,000 indigenous trees, led by the Mumvee (Kigelia Africana), the Tree of the Year.

Chenxi Mine provided 1,000 Mumvee seedlings and an additional 1,000 indigenous species for the provincial programme. The mine has planted more than 20,000 trees this year, including 11,200 in Boterekwa, supported by a reported 95 percent survival rate due to drip-irrigation systems and improved nursery management.

According to the mine’s 2025 Environmental Rehabilitation Report, the Boterekwa landscape is showing sustained recovery, with stabilised terraces, vetiver grass cover, reinforced stormwater drains and slope-protection structures. More than 50,000 seedlings have been produced through community-linked nurseries to aid the reclamation process.

Chenxi Mine general manager Simon Karimanzira said reforestation and land restoration had become central to the company’s operations.

“Environmental rehabilitation is a strategic priority for us,” he said. “We recognise mining’s footprint, and that drives our commitment to reforestation and long-term recovery of disturbed land.”

Karimanzira said 33 hectares of the 70 hectares affected by mining activities had already been reclaimed — a 46 percent milestone achieved through land reshaping, terracing, grassing and indigenous tree planting. He reaffirmed the mine’s goal to plant one million trees by the end of its mining cycle.

He also highlighted ongoing scientific collaboration with Hunan City University in China and local universities on slope engineering, grass trials, heavy-metal-tolerant species and ecological restoration techniques. The mine’s nursery currently produces 40,000 seedlings a year, with plans to expand capacity to 100,000 by the end of 2026.

Guest of honour and Midlands Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution, **Owen Ncube**, praised Chenxi’s work, describing the mine as “a model of responsible mining” and urging other operators to follow suit.

“This commemoration brings the national vision of a greener Zimbabwe to the community level,” he said. “We call on all miners and investors in the province to adopt similar rehabilitation approaches. Chenxi has set a commendable example.”

The Forestry Commission, represented by Commissioner Sithole, pledged continued technical support as the mine pushes towards its long-term target and the broader restoration of the Boterekwa Valley.

The planting of the culturally significant Mumvee tree symbolised renewed confidence in the recovery of an area that has long been associated with environmental decline.