The day we arrived at the mission home we were shown around and it was pointed out the trees in back had just been trimmed to keep them from rubbing on the roof. This is the view from my window and it is very painful to look at. I thought, "What the HECK?"
Well, almost six weeks later, I have yet to hear a chain saw or leaf blower or gas powered lawn mower.
The machete is king and to trim a tree it is hack, hack, hack.There is a huge tree laying on the grounds of the chapel. The trunk is now incorporated into the landscaping. The trunk is still in the ground near where the sidewalk leaves the parking lot. It is obvious it was felled with many, many chops. It looks like machetes and not an ax to me.
Take a look at Lusaka from Google maps. There are definite neighborhoods.
This first photo is my neighborhood. We live in the little block with houses and pools. Our house is in the middle of the top row (no pool). You will notice that most lots are the size of where our eleven houses sit. Some of these estates are very, very nice. I'll grant you they are far short of "Big Box" Woodside, California but still a refuge from the outside world, and plenty of old large trees.
Now as you move around Google Maps you will see white and brown areas. The white are the tin roofs and the brown is just dirt.
Where are the trees?
This poster in one of the native languages doesn't use many words to get the message across that trees are very beneficial for happy living.
With trees we can make houses, get fruit, make fires, make boats, make furniture, and make money.
Obviously, trees are meant to be used for a working economy. However, folks have to be taught and reminded that there is a proper way to cut a tree so that it will renew itself or a new one should be planted.
If no thought is taken, trees can end up looking like this.
Cut and gathered everyday.
It ends up like this. Charcoal. Used to cook a meal and heat a home.
We have seen fellows with five or six of those bags tied to a bike and 15 or 20 km from a market heading out to get some cash to feed a family.
Cold, hungry and needing cash, I think I would probably whack any limb I could reach.
