Green Colonialism in Zimbabwe, 1890-1980 By Vimbai Kwashirai

Philip, the forestry departments in Uganda and Ghana, which were established in the late 1890s, had concentrated on forest land alienation until about 1945, when scientific ideas concerning the decimation of wild fauna and flora prompted governments to implement conservationist measures.¹⁹ Before then, British colonial states in Africa were in a weak position with respect to local European capital. The power and financial capacity of colonial states in Africa increased greatly after the Second World War, and this change made more systematic conservation possible. Indeed, conservationist ideas became entrenched in colonial Zimbabwe in 1948, when the government empowered the forestry commission to impose sanctions on exploiters who failed to observe conservationist regulations.

The Problem of Balance and the Role of Government

There is a growing interest in the relationship between economic development, nature, and conservation in the contemporary world. The problem both in exploring the past and assessing present relationships lies in understanding the balance between exploitation and conservation. With respect to contemporary global environmental problems, many scholars believe that it is difficult to achieve a good balance. It is certainly no longer possible to conceive of whole forests left untouched and inviolate so that trees and soils remain intact, rivers display moderate behaviour, water is clear, and wildlife is abundant. The idea of untouched nature, with no place for the technological person, suspended timelessly in a natural balance is untenable.²⁰ The main axiom of world conservation strategy is that conservation depends upon development, and lasting development is impossible without conservation. Conservation is no longer seen as an obstacle to development and vice versa. Conservation is now seen as an integral aspect of development.²¹ There is a delicate balance between the two goals, especially when we try to sustain species and ecosystems while at the same time meeting the ever-expanding basic needs of growing populations and the desire for an increased quality of life.²²