Miombo woodland in the spring time (Zambia)

Just a few months ago, I came across a beautiful calendar specifically made for 2013, with particular attention to the trees of Zambia. This calendar not only caught my attention but it also sadly made me realize how little I know of Zambia and its natural beauty.

What particularly caught my attention was an article in the calendar on the MIOMBO WOODLAND. This reads as below;

“You may be wondering why we have a photograph of Canada in the fall, which we all know is one of Nature’s most famous colour displays . Well, the fact is that this is Mutinondo, chief Mpumba’s area, Northern Province, consisting of thousands of hectares of pristine miombo woodlad.

The unbelievable colour display is what happens to the miombo woodland in the spring time, about now in fact (September).

We tend to think the new leaves are a clean, green colour. That’s not always the case – obviously. The question is why do the leaves begin life in such a startling array of colours? This phenomenon is called ‘bloom’, and is thought to deter insect leaf – eaters, who are fooled into thinking that these are not new fresh, juicy leaves.

Whatever the reason for the ‘bloom’, miombo woodland is surely something we need to preserve, for its sheer beauty, if nothing else.

Nikki Ashley

Of course there are many other beautiful things to see in Mutinondo but that’s for another time.

Mutinondo Wilderness lies within Chief Mpumba's area on the plateau 30 km west of the Luangwa Valley in the Northern Province of Zambia. The area consists of 10,000hectares of privately owned land encompassing pristine Miombo woodland, massive chunks of granite inselbergs, crystal clear rivers to swim in and drink from and picturesque waterfalls and glades (dambos).
It is pure Africa just as it has been experienced for centuries and offers endless opportunities to explore and celebrate nature (Review from a visitor of Mutinondo Wilderness).

Covering around 2.4 million km², the Miombo Woodlands span across parts of: Angola, Botswana, Burundi, Democratic Republic of Congo, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

 For more beautiful pictures  of the MIOMBO WOODLAND 
Images courtesy of the website below.

http://www.spirit-of-the-land.com/muchinga-series.htm