Deforestation

On Wednesday Serena and I went to a branch of the US Embassy to watch the second presidential debate. While there I met a woman who spent time in Malawi 25 years ago and has returned for more work. I asked her about the differences that have occurred and this key phrase was the first, "There are more kids and fewer trees."

In the last couple decades deforestation has been rampant in the rural areas. I was told by one Malawian that great stretches of road between Lilongwe and the lake were forested just a few years ago. Now it is a near-constant field. Even in Lilongwe trees are cut down, both illegally and legally, for fuel. On a hill where I run Bao, I often see men in the trees hacking out branches and, ultimately, removing trees.

In this rather unremarkable photo you can see the recently-cut branches, removed by topping the tree, on the ground drying. Likely the entire tree will be taken sooner rather than later. There is a charcoal industry that harvests the country's trees and sells for the end-use of cooking because electricity and gas are too expensive. Unfortunately, demand outstrips the growing capabilities of the ever-diminishing forests. Serena and I hope to travel north where some of the original forests are supposed to still exist.