Minister of Environment, Jeanne d’Arc Mujawamariya, has urged people who cut forests for charcoal burning purposes to stop it, describing it as burning the 'country’s lungs'.

The official was speaking on Saturday during the monthly community work, known as Umuganda¸ held in Nyamatete forestry site, in Karenge Sector, Rwamagana District.

On this site, more than 10 hectares were planted on the Umuganda day, while more than 152 hectares of eucalyptus trees were planted during this season since October.

This tree planting activity is done through the government’s efforts to strengthen the management of privately owned forests through cooperatives, which takes 67 percent of Rwanda’s forests. This plan (Private Forests Management Units, or PFMUs), that includes renovating old forests and reforesting empty areas, is mostly implemented in partnership with the Belgian Government.

"This forest will not benefit only you, because this is part of the lungs of the country, it will enable the country to breathe good air from here.

These trees are not for tree burning, they are going to help Karenge be a part of this country’s lungs,” Mujawamariya declared.

"To people who cut trees or those cutting them for charcoal purposes, we urge you to follow other means being established for responsible use of firewood, notably, ‘Cana Make’, or any other cooking means that do not require cutting trees down,” she suggested.

Theogene Mbonimpa, from Nyamatete, Karenge Sector, said: "We had old forests, reforesting this place was necessary, because we as farmers face heavy winds sometimes, which affects our crop plantations, once grown, these trees will therefore mitigate the wind problem.’

"Someone destroying a tree does harm to the country, that is a big deal, and it means impeding our development,” echoed Mbonimpa, who is one of the members of a cooperative in Nyamatete that consolidated the land for the forest growing.