The South African government has launched a nationwide campaign to plant 10 million trees on Heritage Day, which falls on September 24. The initiative is part of President Cyril Ramaphosa's One Billion Trees campaign, which aims to mobilize South Africans to plant trees and contribute to environmental conservation. Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Bernice Swarts, will lead the national campaign.
The program brings together various stakeholders, including government departments, businesses, private sector companies, faith-based organizations, diplomatic corps, traditional leaders, non-governmental organizations, youth organizations, and communities. The goal is to plant 10 million trees across the country without incurring any costs for the government. The trees will be planted in schools, community parks, health facilities, and residential areas.
The main tree-planting events will take place in Pretoria, Johannesburg, and George, with Deputy Minister Swarts and Gauteng MEC for Environment, Ewan Botha, leading the events in Pretoria and Soweto, respectively. President Ramaphosa will lead the tree-planting event in George, which will precede the national Heritage Day celebrations. Similar events will be held in all nine provinces, led by provincial premiers and MECs responsible for environmental affairs.
The One Billion Trees campaign was launched in May with the theme "My tree, my oxygen. Plant yours today." The campaign aims to involve South Africans in large-scale tree planting and promote environmental conservation. According to Deputy Minister Swarts, the president's call is for all South Africans to plant trees to protect the planet for future generations.
The target for this year's campaign is significantly higher than last year's, when 1.3 million trees were planted, exceeding the initial target of one million. The government is optimistic that this year's campaign will be even more successful and have a greater impact than last year's. The campaign is taking place amid growing challenges such as climate change, environmental degradation, biodiversity loss, and food insecurity.
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment says that planting trees in residential areas, recreational facilities, parks, and open spaces is an important environmental management measure to help mitigate the effects of climate change. The campaign aims to promote climate resilience, raise environmental awareness, and encourage individuals and organizations to contribute to greening their communities.
The department has called on all South Africans, including government institutions, businesses, labor unions, civil society, and individuals, to participate in the tree-planting campaign on Heritage Day. The campaign is expected to make a significant contribution to environmental conservation and promote a sense of responsibility among South Africans to protect the environment.
Key points
- The South African government aims to plant 10 million trees on Heritage Day as part of its One Billion Trees campaign to promote environmental conservation and mitigate the effects of climate change.
