- Encourages tree planting at GHS Buea and other suitable sites
By Ikome Christie-Noella Eposi in Buea
Celebrated under the theme “Forests and Innovation: New Solutions for a Better World”, the Delegation of Forestry and Wildlife, South West Region has this Thursday March 21 2024 celebrated the International Day of the Forest by raising awareness on the necessity of planting trees, the importance of protecting the forests and ensuring their sustainable management.
Taking place at the Government High School, Bokwango, Buea, the celebration witnessed presentation of songs, sketches and poems from the students who used the medium the demonstrate the importance of protecting the forest and planting of trees. There was at the end of the event, a symbolic tree planting exercise to commemorate the day.
Addressing the audience was the Delegate of Forestry and Wildlife for the SWR, Ikome Delphine who noted that this year’s celebration of the International Day of the Forest was marked by series of activities such as a round-table conference, identification of sites to plant trees, purchase of the trees thereby making them available for planting and the planting exercise proper. “This day is usually dedicated for us to raise awareness about the importance of forests and the need for their sustainable management. The forests play a very vital role on our planet. The forest is also considered as the lungs of the planet. The forest provides us with clean water, clean air, a host to countless species of plants and animals”. She added that more than 70 million of humans depend on the forest for their livelihood.
The Regional Delegate opined that even though the forest is very important it is faced with a lot of challenges such as poaching, unsustainable land use, unsustainable agriculture etc. she noted that MINFOF SW is also using the opportunity during this year’s celebration to tell the students of GHS Bokwango about the importance of protecting and maintaining the forest.
The Representative of the Governor, Elepi Ewane Jacques said “The purpose of this celebration is to raise awareness and reiterate the environmental role of the forests. The forest fights against soil degradation, provides food and medicines. Forests are disappearing due to illegal activities. We are going through a lot of changes especially climate change so let’s fight against those bad behaviours that have left us where we are today. Let us take this as a wakeup call to support government actions in the fight against illegal activities that kill our forests”. He opined.
The Principal of GHS Bokwango, Martha Mboke in her intervention noted that the forest plays a very important role on earth. “The battle against deforestation has to be won and this requires the use of every new technological advancement. It will require that those in charge of monitoring our forests be innovative in their methods. It is important that we protect our forest as it purifies the air, enriches the soil and has a high medicinal value for humans and animals”.
Talking to the press, the Regional Delegate of MINFOF for the SW made mention of the fact that the innovation this year is the fact that MINFOF SW is involving all the stakeholders who are involved in forest management. “We believe that they all have a great role to play in protecting the forests. We are also involved in carrying out re-afforestation activities whereby we plant trees in identified areas. We are also doing a tracking system to trace all the timbers being cut from their origin to their final destination because they have been tagged and given GPS coordinates. Another innovation is the constant patrol at various tracking checkpoints posts in the SWR to ensure the sustainable management of the forest”.
The Ministry of Forestry and Wildlife through the Programme for the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources in the SWR is supporting biodiversity conservation in protected areas and the sustainable management of natural resources in the region.