Today, 22 March is World Water Day. Yesterday was the International Day of Forests. Both are United Nations' days to raise awareness on the importance of freshwater, and forests respectively.

The World Water Day theme was "Glacier Preservation". Think about the role of these glaciers. They are white. They are reflective. They reflect rays of sunshine back out through the atmosphere. That's great for global warming. So the problem comes when they melt. The more they melt, the more the dark ground is seen (attracting heat) and the sea level rises, which causes areas of the world to become uninhabitable.

The theme for the International Day of the Forests was "Forests and Food". Enter the Miombo Woodlands - one of Zimbabwe's primary and most expansive forests - the home of our beautiful Msasa tree. The map shows how this ecosystem stretches across multiple countries in sub-Saharan Africa. The image shows how Miombo Woodland biodiversity helps to save our planet, thanks to Sara Markes for the image. 

Although we don't have glaciers, Harare has its wetlands, and these need protection as they are our freshwater source. We also have our Miombo Woodlands (The Kopje, Highlands, Shawasha Hills, Chisipite, Avondale...) and these provide a source of food: fruits, honey, and mushrooms. 

Let's prioritise these ecosystems, and start to stand up for them.