National tree planting initiative crosses two million mark
THE FORESTRY Department is reporting that it has passed the two million trees planted mark as the country heads toward planting three million trees under the National Tree Planting Initiative. The agency reported that 2,229,527 trees have been distributed and/or planted across the island since October 2019.
“This is a significant development,” said Jerome Smith, principal director of Forest Operations at the Forestry Department. “While the pandemic has slowed the progress of the initiative, we are confident that the target will be reached by the end of the 2022/23 financial year. With more than two million trees already recorded, the intense push by the Agency and with the continued support of our partners who have come onboard through our various programmes, the target is now well within reach.”
PROMOTIONS
Programmes and promotions offered by the Forestry Department and that attract public participation include the My Tree Legacy programme which invites past students and past students’ associations to to engage in tree planting, as well as the recently launched Grow with Me campaign which provides free seedlings to parents and guardians to plant the umbilical cord of their newborns, a tradition that was once very popular in Jamaica. The Forestry Department is also engaging with the island’s youths through the National School Tree Planting Competition that began in September this year.
“Environmental degradation has and continues to have farreaching impacts on our society and will require the participation of every Jamaican to help rebuild our defences. So far, almost 200 partner entities and thousands of individuals have come onboard to do their part. Partner entities range from private and public sector agencies to schools and community groups,” Smith said.
The National Tree Planting Initiative was launched by Prime Minister Andrew Holness, in October 2019 and is aimed at planting three million trees in three years.
Groups or individuals who are interested in receiving and planting trees under the initiative are invited to contact the Forestry Department at fdinfo@forestry.gov.jm or 876-618-3205.