Let’s inculcate tree planting culture in children

Mr Prince Anane Agyei, Park Manager, Shai Hills Resource Reserve, has called for the inculcation of tree planting culture in children to ensure sustenance of the environment.He said training children at an early age to engage in tree planting activities would help them to appreciate the importance of trees and be ambassadors of climate change.Mr Agyei gave the advice on Friday during a tree planting exercise with pupils from Dedenya D/A Basic School in the Greater Accra Region to mark the fourth edition of the 'Green Ghana Day' celebration.In all, 56 school pupils together with staff from the Forestry Commission and Shai Hills Resource Reserve planted over 1,000 tree seedlings from five species.The 'Green Ghana Day' is set aside to plant trees in degraded forest reserves, and in and around recreational grounds, parks and along medians of roads.It is intended to restore the degraded landscape and forest cover due to the activities of illegal small-scale mining, timber logging and other harmful envir onmental practices.President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo instituted the Green Ghana Project in 2021 to replenish the country's forest reserves and since then more than 41 million seedlings have been planted nationwide.This year's event is themed: 'Growing for a Greener Tomorrow', with the target of planting 10 million seedlings across the country.Mr Agyei lauded the initiative and asked that it should be sustained.He said the Shai Hills Resource Reserve had over the years participated in the exercise with school children and would continue doing so.Mr Agyei said they had been able to ensure over 50 per cent survival rate of the trees planted so far and advised the citizenry to also ensure the survival of the trees planted.'Issues regarding climate change, pollution and over exploitation of trees are having negative effects on us and if we don't take steps to salvage this situation by planting trees, it will get worse over time,' he noted.He urged the Forestry Commission to intensify sensitisatio n on the importance of tree planting and make more seedlings available.Madam Vida Asabea Suglo, Headteacher of Dedenya D/A Basic School, said inculcating the habit of tree planting in children would secure a healthier environment for the next generation.She thanked the Shai Hills Resource Reserve for the opportunity and called for more of such engagements.Mr Walter Adjokatse and Miss Evelyn Gawu, both basic eight pupils of Dedenya D/A Basic School, described the activity as an unforgettable learning experience.Mr Lambert Adzah, also a basic eight pupil, said the exercise taught him how to be a team player and work in groups to achieve a common goal.The pupils pledged to be advocates of tree planting to avert the negative impacts of climate change.Climate change refers to long-term shifts in temperatures and weather patterns.Such shifts can be natural, due to changes in the Sun's activity or large volcanic eruptions.But since the 1800s, human activities have been the main driver of climate chan ge, primarily due to the burning of fossil fuels like coal, oil and gas.Burning fossil fuels generates greenhouse gas emissions that act like a blanket wrapped around the Earth, trapping the Sun's heat and raising temperatures.One of the easiest ways to avert climate change is by planting new forests (afforestation) or restoring old ones (reforestation).Source: Ghana News Agency