CMO revitalises Tilbury Estate plantation for Border Timbers

In 2019, Cyclone Idai tore through the Southeastern highlands of Zimbabwe, severely damaging 70% of infrastructure, homes and Tilbury Estate, an area covering 10,000 hectares owned by Border Timbers. In June 2023, Border Timbers contracted CMO to revitalise Tilbury.

CMO tasked Gerald Taziwa, a seasoned forester with experience in Zimbabwean and West African forestry, to oversee the clear-felling, salvaging, selling of usable timber, replanting vacant compartments, repairing workers’ housing, and infrastructure restoration.

At approximately 1,200m above sea level, the region receives year-round rainfall. It maintains an average temperature of about 16C, creating an ideal environment for growing eucalyptus hardwoods and pine softwoods.

Taziwa’s June 2024 progress report details the activities and achievements in silviculture, pole and sawlog, firewood deliveries, road repairs, housing maintenance, and water system enhancements.

SILVICULTURE ACTIVITIES

Silviculture activities began gradually, and by March 2024, there was a robust response, with significant coppice management and weed control advancements.

Unfortunately, progress was impeded by several factors, most notably the temporary halt of silviculture operations in August 2023 due to frost damage that caused the loss of a substantial number of seedlings in the plantation nursery.

In June this year, temperatures plummeted to a record low of -4 degrees Celsius, again affecting nursery operations. Fortunately, Taziwa’s team implemented measures to reduce the impact and limit losses. He anticipates that the surviving seedlings will recuperate and thrive.

CMO revitalises Tilbury Estate plantation for Border Timbers Tilbury’s annual planting programme aims to cover 800 hectares for the financial year, and they have made significant progress, achieving 92% of this goal. Although the 1,036.5mm of rain was 23.4% below the yearly average, it did not compromise the survival rates of the plantings. The planted areas have maintained an impressive average survival rate of 93%.

FIRE PROTECTION

By June, firebreak slashing was 90% complete, and 30% of firebreaks were burnt. Fire bosses and their crews were trained, and an inventory of the fire equipment was done.

ROADWORKS

Significant progress has been made in opening and grading previously inaccessible roads, which is vital for community access and firefighting efforts. Many plantation roads had become impassable, with bridges destroyed and the compacted gravel surface eroded, allowing vegetation to encroach.

About 50% of the estate’s roads have been cleared, providing access for firefighting vehicles and silviculture teams where it was once impossible.

INFRASTRUCTURE MAINTENANCE

The focus on water system repairs and maintenance has intensified over the last quarter. Tilbury, which usually faces low water reserves from August to November, has proactively acquired four water tanks to improve the situation.

Additionally, work is underway to restore three boreholes. The pipeline for one of these boreholes is complete, and it is expected that these boreholes will alleviate the water shortages that Tilbury frequently experiences.

A 280,000-litre tank was installed at Rujeko at the end of June, and a borehole at the dairy supplies water to three tanks, including those at Tilbury Primary School.

Housing maintenance began gradually but has accelerated, resulting in over ten staff houses being repaired and now habitable. The water system has also improved, with the revival of a borehole close to completion at 90%.

DRONE SPRAYING

Taziwa has initiated a drone spraying project to accelerate the eradication of invasive species on the plantation. From 3 – 5 June 2024, a drone spraying operation occurred at Tilbury Estate.

Before the operation, drone pilots charted the designated area for efficient and secure spraying. The flight paths were meticulously planned to navigate the terrain and avoid obstacles. The drone’s altitude was adjusted to enhance the spray coverage, flying approximately three meters above ground and covering an area of six to seven meters.

The chemical mix involved two herbicides, Trimax and Glyphosate, blended with water in a 200-litre drum, comprising 20 litres of Glyphosate (10%) and 13 litres of Trimax (6.5%). Trimax is effective against bee bush, and Glyphosate was used for grass.

The results thus far are encouraging, and Taziwa is eager to leverage this technology’s efficiency to clear more hectares than manual methods would allow. He is confident that the Tilbury plantation will be restored to the required rotation in the coming years and will become a leading plantation in the industry.

TIMBER SALES

The estate markets round logs as firewood, poles, and sawlogs. Salvaged logs were sold to internal and external customers.

• Approximately 11,900 tons of firewood were sold to tobacco merchants to cure fresh leaf tobacco.
• Poles were supplied internally to the Nyakamite Pole treatment plant owned by Border Timbers in Mutare.
• Around 5,000 cubic meters of saw logs were sold to the Tilbury sawmill.
• The processed planks were distributed within the Zimbabwean market for use as roofing timber and for other applications such as furniture and kitchen manufacturing.

By: Justin Nyakudanga

Source: WoodBiz Africa – July 2024 Magazine (Pages 42 – 43)

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