Environmental protection and preservation is important to all life and everything that is natural. However, the value of nature is being taken for granted by many human beings who either lack education about or do not appreciate natural environment.
Forest fires in our beautiful Northern Range throughout the years have affected our community in many direct ways. It will take some time and efforts to recover, as we await the rainy season with anticipation.
This year the Lopinot Valley which is one of the valleys situated deep in the heart of the Northern Range and is a tourism hub, has seen one of the worst forest fires in years, if not decades. We saw acres of forest including our fauna and flora, pines, and crops perish because of wild bush fires. They were completely destroyed. Witnessing this was heart-breaking. We have heard so many stories from our foresters – Protectors of the Environment and Forestry Division- of dead carcasses, dead parrots, and other animals burnt beyond recognition. The lives of many animals were lost and so, too, their habitat.
Further, during every dry season every single year for the last eight years, Lopinot’s rivers and springs completely dry up, with not a drop of water for weeks. We live in the Northern Range and our valleys supply water to many parts of country yet we experience a water problem every year.
How can we protect and conserve our wild animals and their natural habitat, our rivers and springs from the effects of environmental damage? How can we empower our people to change and take responsibility to protect and prevent forest fires and conserve our rivers and springs from drying up each year? The mission is clear: We must bring awareness and develop effective action plans, networking with other valleys throughout the range using social media and every available communication tool to protect our environment. We need a united front in defence of the environment.
