By Victoria Agyemang
Cape Coast, June 09, GNA – The Central Regional Forest Services Division of the Forestry Commission (FC) has invaded degraded forests in the Region to plant trees as part of its restoration drive.
More than 400,000 seedlings have been distributed to be planted in forest lands, both on and off-reserves, available sites within communities, including parks, roadsides, and medians.
Also, available homes, farmsteads, churches, mosques, schools, watersheds, office compounds, land and farm boundaries will be filled with trees.
Trees to be planted for the exercise include timber tree species such as mahogany, ofram and teak, Fruit trees such as mango, coconut, orange, and avocado.
Others are shade trees such as tree of life, and ornamental and multipurpose tree seedling species.
The Region has exceeded its distribution target of 600,000 to 700,000 seedlings across the districts.
Mr Daniel Donkor, Operations Manager of Plantation, Forest Services Division said his office will ensure that adequate resources and attention were devoted to nurturing the over 23 million tree seedlings surviving from previous editions.
He said the Government through the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources had invested hugely in the project, hence, the need to nurture the trees to maturity.
The impact of climate change on the environment could not be downplayed, hence, the need for all to strenuously make efforts to mitigate the effects.
He said mankind, animals and other living organisms needed the environment for survival and growth, thus issues that affected it must be fought with all seriousness.
The University of Cape Coast (UCC), the Ghana Police Service (GPS), Ghana Commercial Bank, Star Life Ghana Insurance and other corporate bodies took part in the tree planting exercise in Cape Coast.
Schools such as Cornelia Connelly School of the Holy Child Jesus and Aggrey Memorial Senior High School also joined the exercise.
The UCC is expected to plant about 20,000 trees adding up to 120,000 since the inception of the Green Ghana project.
The afforestation project is aimed at speedily retrieving and revamping degraded lands and restore the country’s lost green environment.
The government, with support from various stakeholders, spearheaded a nationwide tree planting exercise every year since 2021.
More than 31 million trees have been planted across the country as part of the Green Ghana project which encourages the citizens and inculcate in them the habit of planting trees to protect the vegetation cover for a balanced ecology and as a long-term measure against heavy storms.
The Green Ghana project is a presidential initiative launched by President Nana Akufo-Addo on March 23, 2021, to rally Ghanaians to also beautify every community.
GNA