The Pine Forests of Zimbabwe

The drive to Pungwe Falls from Troutbeck was one of the most scenic, educational, and inspirational drives I’ve ever been on. Not only did it change my perceptions of Africa, but it opened my eyes to how breathtakingly beautiful this country is. As I mentioned before, the flora is completely different in the eastern highlands than it is anywhere else in the country. The drive to Pungwe Falls was filled with vast expanses of massive pine forests covering the hills, mountains, and gorges with a thick shaggy blanket of green. What’s even more astonishing, they’ve all been planted by hand.
The entire pine forests of Zimbabwe are grown on a rotational basis. The trees stretching for hundreds of acres are all planted in rows upon rows of neat lines, and then harvested after a number of years. The ground lays fallow for some time, and then they are replanted in the same manner with neatly cut firebreaks punctuating the otherwise rolling scenery. When the pines mix in with indigenous plants in the national parks is when the views turn truly stunning. If the entire infrastructure of Zimbabwe is failing, then the Forestry Commission is insulated from the rest of the country.

My perception of Africa changed in two ways: I became aware of the diversity that is here, and I learned what is possible when effective governance is present. When most people think of Africa, they probably picture endless grasslands filled with animals and picturesque sunsets. Others most likely see starving children and AIDS infected Africans.

What they don’t imagine is rich pine forests in high mountain passes. What they don’t imagine is rolling hills filled with ripe orchards. What they don’t imagine is a country that actually functions without corruption. And yet, that is what I hope to imagine. That’s what a lot of Zimbabweans hope to imagine everyday of their lives. If anything, they showed me what Rhodesia used to be like.

The pine forests of Zimbabwe showed me how to imagine for the future of a country.