MINISTRY OF EDUCATION

EXAMINATION COUNCIL OF ZAMBIA

ANCHOR PRIVATE SCHOOL

FIELD PROJECT G12

TITLE: TO INVESTIGATE DEFORESTATION IN MAZABUKA

DISTRICT, SOUTHERN PROVINCE.

NAME: CHOONYA LIBERTY

EXAMINATION NUMBER: 40031960059

SUPERVISOR’S NAME: MR KASWAYA

CENTER NUMBER:

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TABLE OF CONTENTS PAGE

Acknowledgement……………………………………………………………………………2
Dedication……………………………………………………………………………….…..3
Declaration…………………………………………………………………………….……..4
Introduction………………………….,……………………………………………………….5
Background…………………………………………………………………,…………………5
Location of the study…………………………………………………………………………..6
Problem statement……………………………………………………………………………7
Aim of the study……………………………………………………………………….,……..9
Objectives of the study…………………………………………………………………………9
Research question……………………………………………………………………………10
Literature review…………………………………………………………………………….10
Limitations of the study………………………………………………………………………13
Data presentation……………………………………………………………,………………14
Data interpretation…………………………………………………………………………..15
Methodology………………………………………………………………………………..15
Conclusion………………………………………………………………………………….16
Recommendation………….....................................................................................................16
Reference……………………………………………………………………….....................18

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 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

I would like to thank the following people for their assistance during the collection of data
during my research

My teacher, Mr Kaswaya as well as school stuff for the support rendered.

I would also like to thank my parents for helping me compile the project and my brother who
helped me financially.

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 DEDICATION

I dedicate this project to my parents, mum and dad who have enable me all the necessary
materials to carry out the research effectively. I also dedicate it to my whole family and my
best friends Peter, beauty and memory.

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 DECLARATION

I hereby declare that this piece of research has not appeared in any publication apart from this
one unless or otherwise the source has been quoted. It is out of my own hard work and effort.

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 CHAPTER ONE:

1.0 Background of the Study

A forest is defined as a community or assemblage of ecosystem dominated by trees and other

woody vegetation. The forest play key role in climatic systems and comprising the habitats of
at least half of the species of the planet. Forest ecosystem exists in a delicate balance with the
trees and photosynthesizing plants. The plant takes in carbon dioxide from the air to
manufacture food and give oxygen to the human beings.

Deforestation is the clearing or removal of trees from an area of woodland which can be due
to the human desperate need for the resources the forest provides. Deforestation is also known
to contribute to intensified soil erosion. Loss ground cover can result in increased erosion
leading to sedimentation of water ways which have a negative impact on fishery and
dam’soperation. Deforestation is also a potential prime cause of climate change and it is also
bringing desertification which means the land start turning into desert due to cutting down of
trees

1.1 Background of the study

The background of Deforestation in Mazabuka area. Mazabuka area is located in Southern

province Mazabuka district in Chief Mwanachingwala who is also known as Siamoondo.

Mazabuka is approximately 47 kilometers away from Kafue. However, another source

suggests the distance between Kafue River and Mazabuka could be around 449 kilometers,
while the midpoint between Kafue and Mazabuka is roughly 22.97 kilometers.

1.2 Location of the study of area

Mazabuka town is located in the Southern Province of Zambia, approximately 135 km

southwest of Lusaka, the national capital. The geographical coordinates of Mazabuka are
Latitude (15.846667° S) or (15° 50' 48.0" S)

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 Longitude (27.747500° E) or (27° 44' 51.0" E)

Mazabuka sits at an average elevation of 1,067 meters above mean sea level ¹ ² ³.

Map of Mazabuka district

1.3. Problem Statement

This particular research is about the ethical issues arising from the high level of Deforestation
going on in Mazabuka area, which is under Chief control and headmen however, although the
Chief and headmen are in control, Deforestation in Mazabuka is still going on at a very high
rate.

The local people have settled in the forest, manufacturing charcoal and farming, even though
it is not legal to do so. Deforestation has caused environmental degradation in the forest.

The many causes of Deforestation are the following: agriculture expansion, wood extraction
and charcoal burning

Infrastructure

1.4 Aim of the study

To find the prevention of Deforestation

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To introduce a policy which will be followed by people

To teach people the importance of forest.

1.5 Objectives of the study

i. To investigate why Deforestation is still going on in Mazabuka even though they were
stopped
II. To investigate the effect of Deforestation on the natural environment including
inhabitants.

1.6 Research questions

i. Why Deforestation is still going on in Mazabuka

ii. What consequences does Deforestation have on the natural environment and its
inhabitants?
iii. How can we stop people from cutting down of trees?
iv. How can Deforestation be prevented

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 CHAPTER TWO: LITERATURE REVIEW

2.0 Introduction

Literature on ecosystem services provides a wide view of the various concepts and approaches
toimpacts of deforestation on ecosystem services. This chapter dwells on the importance
ofecosystems and the type of ecosystem services available in the study area. Such arguments
providethe foundation upon which the research was built. The presentation outlines the inter
relationshipsof various factors in the ecosystem including loss of forest and soil.

Understanding the dynamics of land-use and land-cover has increasingly been recognized as
oneof the key research imperatives in global environmental change research (Geist & Lambin,
2001)and further says that since the 1980s, numerous attempts have been made to explain the
causativepattern of tropical deforestation. Deforestation is complete removal of forest cover
for another landuse (FAO, 2005).

According to the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, 2005, an ecosystem is a dynamic

complexof plant, animal, and microorganism communities and the nonliving environment
interacting as afunctional unit. In addition, the report further state that ecosystem services are
the benefits peopleobtain from ecosystems, which include provisioning services such as food,
water, timber, andfiber; regulating services that affect climate, floods, disease, wastes, and
water quality; culturalservices that provide recreational, aesthetic, and spiritual benefits; and
supporting services such assoil formation, photosynthesis, and nutrient cycling (Table
1).Changes in these services, affect human well-being through impacts on security, the
necessarymaterial for a good life, health, and social and cultural relations (Figure 2). These
constituents ofwell-being are in turn influenced by and influence the freedoms and choices
available to people(MEA, 2005)

While there is no single, agreed method of categorizing all ecosystem services, the Millenium

Ecosystem Assessment framework is widely accepted and is seen as a usefulstarting point.

(Defra,2007).

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CHAPTER THREE: METHODOLOGY

The methods which were used in order find out current state of Deforestation in Mazabuka
area, the data was collected through focus group discussion and indepth interviews with focal
person and physical observation in the forest and also through internet research.

3.0 Limitations of the study

The study was confined to Mazabuka forest and local inhabitants in and around the area. The
focus was restricted to ethical issues arising from an analysis of data emerging from
occurrence of Deforestation in area.

As the study was done during the rainy season, most of people were not found in their home
as they were busy farming.

This involved a lot of time as Mazabuka is quite vast movement in the forest was also a
problem, as the bicycle was using could not move properly. Hence most of the movements
was done by foot. Furthermore, many of the focal person were afraid of open interviews as
they feared to be evicted from the forest. Lastly financial resources were also a limiting factor
on the coverage of the study.

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CHAPTER FOUR: DATA PRESENTATION

During my research I interviewed 40 respondents, 30 were local people of Mazabuka area and
the other 10 were the area councilors, Member of Parliament and. So on and so forth. The 40
people interviewed 26 were men and 14 were women. People of age from 15 to 20 said that
causes of deforestation is lack of employment, from 20 to 40 years said that basic needs and
from 40 to 60 said that poverty. The table below shows the data presented above.

Age of Number of people Number of people Number of Number of male

people who interviewed in side interviewed female
was the forest outside the forest
interviewe
d

15-20 years 5 8 3 10

20-40 years 10 10 8 12

50-60 years 5 2 3 4

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CHAPTER FIVE: DATA INTERPRETATION

1. Poverty: according to what I researched poverty is having no money, no food and

clothes or what to rely on
2. Lack of employment: people they have what do this makes the to start cutting down
trees for charcoal manufacturing in order for them to find money
3. Lack basic needs people in rural areas they don’t have enough properties for them to
access find their basic needs such as going to school.

Reasons For Deforestation

Lack of enforcement Economic pressure

Limited awareness inadequate alternative livelihoods

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 40
EFFECTS OF DEORESTATION ON THE
35
NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

30

25

20

15

10

0
Category 1 Category 2 Category 3 Category 4

Loss of biodiversity
water scarcity
soil degradadtion
negative impact on local communities

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CHAPTER SIX: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS

6.0 CONCLUSIONS

This chapter has discussed the background of the study by giving an overview of forest and
their importance. it has explained what Deforestation is along with it’s effect on the land. It

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has furthermore identified the statement of the problem, aim, objectives, research question,
limitations of the study and lastly the methodology being used.

6.2 Recommendation

Having looked at Deforestation the cause and impact on environment, I would like to advise
the nation to create some policy towards environment such as,

1. Each and every family must engage themselves in planting trees in order to reduce
Deforestation
2. The government to employ individuals in order to reduce charcoal production
3. The headmen and Chief to advise the community to form groups teach them about the
importance of forest

REFERENCES

Zambia's Vanishing Forests. Living on Earth; Public Radio International. March 4,

1994http://www.loe.org/shows/segments.html?programID=94-P13-00009&segmentID=3

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Kutsch, Werner; Merbold, L Lutz; Ziegler, Waldemar; Mukelabai, Mukufute M;
Muchinda,Maurice; Kolle, Olaf; and Scholes, Robert J. 2011. The charcoal trap:
Miomboforests and the energy needs of people. Carbon Balance and Management, vol. 6,no.
1, pp. 5-16. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3189094/pdf/1750-0680-

6-5.pdf
 Unruh, Jon; Cligget, Lisa; Hay, Rod. 2005. Migrant land rights reception and

‘clearing to claim’ in sub-Saharan Africa: A deforestation example from southern

Zambia. Natural Resources Forum 29, pp. 190–198.

http://landportal.info/sites/default/files/final_publication_nrf_00129_x.pdf

 Abbot, P. G. and Ogle, A. 2007. PAPER II: Policy Options for Miombo Woodlands.

Center for International Forestry Research.

http://www.cifor.org/miombo/docs/PolicyOptions_November2007-Genesis.pdf

 Internet research

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