The Potentiality for a Resilient Urban Social Forestry Programme in Zimbabwe: Lessons from Trees Planted by the Harare Municipality in the Avenues Area between 1890 - 2020

Abstract

This article focuses on tree species being propagated in public and private nurseries and planted by the City of Harare's Horticultural Department (Department of Works) along streets in the Avenues Area. The article also presents perceptions of selected residents to gain insights into governance issues in Harare. Key informant interviews with various stakeholders (residents, government officials, City of Harare horticulturalists and nursery attendants) were combined with group discussions with selected residents, both young and old. The study also included physical counts of seedlings  in nurseries and analyses of nursery records. Research findings show that despite both private and public nurseries being stocked with both exotic and indigenous tree species, local authorities in Harare are still biased towards exotics, but a sizeable proportion of residents preferring the other.