The NGO sees this step as a parallel one to the recent harsher stand taken by the court on illegal hunting and trapping.

Legal Notice 12 of 2001 lays down a fine ranging from Lm200 to Lm10,000 for every tree chopped down that was more than 10 years old.

Nature Trust encourages MEPA to keep up this good work by enforcing the law with contractors, who are repeatedly reported for this offence, and present a strong case against them in court. The funds from fines for these offences should be used for environmental projects, preferably in the area where the offence was allegedly carried out.