Western Equatoria launches tree-planting project
August 10, 2010 (YAMBIO) – Western Equatoria’s state government has launched a “tree-planting day” to promote the planting of trees statewide to step up efforts to properly manage the environment.
The project will be run by the state Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries and Animal Resources in collaboration with UNOPS.
On Tuesday, ten Mahogany seedlings were planted at a planting demonstration site to kick off the project.
Speaking at a proposed site for tree-planting expansion, the Director of Forestry at the state Ministry of Agriculture, Jackson Ezibon said that the his government is encouraging everybody to plant trees.
“Western Equatoria has two rainy seasons in a year, in [the] first season this [year] some 5000 tree seedlings will be planted all over the state and next season [we] will exceed [this]”, Ezibon said.
The new trees are intended to compensation for trees destroyed during the building of roads within the towns and those lost by illegal logging.
Acting state minister of Agriculture, Felix Sunday Khamis, urged all Western Equatoria citizens to focus on planting trees, “to conserve the environment.”
Sunday encouraged the Directorate of Agriculture to focus on more tree-planting in the state to curb forest degradation.
Western Equatoria plans to begin exporting trees to neighboring countries which will generate income to the state, the minister said.
He appealed to citizens, as well as schools and institutions, to cover at least 10% of their land with trees.
Sunday also said that his ministry would work with others to ensure all existing forest in the state was maintained and rehabilitated if necessary.
The minister said the state government was working on a forestry program to enhance environmental restoration.
Two logging companies are currently working in WES; Equatoria Teak Company in Nzara County and the Blue Lakes operating in Nagero County in the Western part of the state. Both companies obliged under their contract to plant the same number of tree they plan to process.
Western Equatoria says it is attempting to attract new forestry investors to the state.
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Justin Chicago opiny
Western Equatoria launches tree-planting project
Good thinking, tree planting should be encouraged through out the 10 states of southern sudan.Trees are one of the natural resources we are blessed with only second to the Democratic republic of Congo in the entire continent of Africa. With the weather that is favorable for tree growth in the green zones of
southern sudan more and more trees should be planted as the world’s climate change is taking place very fast and desertification is on the rise south of the sahara at an alarming rate 8-10 kilometer per year.
Charcoal burning should be banned all together Solar energy and wind energy
should be encouraged as these form of energy is envronmentally friendly and require minimal repairs and maintenance.Every person holding a plot should at
least have 0ne to three fruit tree in their compound this is good for a dietary change. There is a saying that an apple a day keeps the Doctor away.Those who have a large piece of land can as well plant eculaptus (kaltus)for fire wood and building.This tree is so economical you can use the same tree for a genaration if used properly.Thank you Western Equatoria for the bright idea sell more Mango seedlings to all the sister states of Greater Equatoria and across south sudan and beyond.