EnviroPress Reporter

In a bold step toward environmental sustainability, Kuvimba Mining House (KMH) has launched a “Green Belt” initiative aimed at planting at least 100,000 trees across its mining operations in 2024. The programme, which was unveiled at Freda Rebecca Mine in Bindura last Friday, forms part of the company’s broader environmental stewardship and sustainability campaign.

The initiative will be conducted annually and supports Zimbabwe’s national afforestation efforts, focusing on the restoration of degraded land, promotion of biodiversity, and climate change mitigation. Beyond tree planting, the programme also targets land rehabilitation and soil erosion control, particularly around mine tailings and construction zones.

“From our Tailings Storage Facility (TSF) extension, we moved a lot of soil and vegetation, clearly disturbing the natural habitat. So we have to go some way in restoring the environment,” said Freda Rebecca Mine Managing Director, Patrick Shayawabaya.

“This year alone, we planted 10,000 trees in January, another 800 last week, and today we are doing 1 000. It’s just the beginning.”

Graduate trainees are playing an active role in the project. 21-year-old Vongai Chimbunde, a mining engineering trainee, and her colleague Florence Mangai, a SHEQ (Safety, Health, Environment, and Quality) trainee, participated in the grass relay and planting activities under the scorching sun.

“As a mining engineer, I believe we have to consider the ecosystem we leave behind once mining is done,” said Chimbunde.

Mangai added: “This is important to us as a mining company. We are restoring nature and demonstrating the importance of biodiversity.”

KMH Group CEO Trevor Barnard praised the initiative and called on other mining houses to adopt similar programmes.

“This is a good programme and all miners should follow this model to ensure a sustainable environment. The older generation is phasing out, and we should not leave the land bare for the next,” he said.

Traditional leaders also threw their weight behind the programme. Chief Chipadze described the initiative as a critical contribution to the national afforestation drive, saying it could be a model for sustainable woodland management if fully implemented.

KMH’s “Green Belt” initiative not only reflects its commitment to responsible mining but also seeks to build environmental resilience and empower the next generation of environmentally conscious professionals