Liberia 'Plant a Tree Campaign' Launched in Lofa
The William Pitman Kennedy United Methodist Church Environmental Protection Program (WPKUMC-EPP) Community Tree-Planting Project was launched in Voinjama, Lofa County on Saturday, 29 August, 2009.
The Environmental Protection Agency Officer assigned in the County, Mr. Stephen Martor requested media practitioners to spearhead the 'Plant a Tree Campaign' which was launched by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP).
In his technical remarks at the ceremony, Mr. Martor, said that the UNEP requires everyone in the world to plant a tree so that by December, 2009, 7 billion trees would have been planted worldwide and that all Liberians should not let the opportunity pass without making some contribution to the drive.
"The media must utilize the full capacity they have to reach the population, to mobilize the civil society, religious institutions, business communities and the Government to participatein the campaign by planting trees across the Country",Martor stated.The EPA Lofa County Officer suggested the need for the press to carry messages about the campaign in the 16 dialects of Liberia so that uneducated rural Liberians who are predominantly farmers, will also plant trees to safe the environment.
Also, speaking at the function, Lofa County Superintendent Administrative Assistant George T. Tengbeh hailed the United Nations Mission in Liberia for supporting the Church's Environmental Protection Program Community Tree-Planting Project by securing and transporting the seedlings to Voinjama. He encouraged local leaders of the County to include tree-planting in their development planning.
For his part, the Environmental Protection Program (EPP) Community Tree-Planting Project Coordinator, Weah Karpeh said the Church was undertaking in response to the UNEP's call on all and sundry to contribute to the ongoing global efforts to protect the environment.
He added that in Lofa County, farming, hunting, bad fishing practices, digging, mining, pit-sawing, tree felling and burning for fuel, bush-burning, establishment of new small villages and a host of other human actions were destroying the atmosphere and consequently contributing to the global climatic problems. Mr. Karpeh mentioned that the EPP believes that the 1,000 targeted trees would reduce erosion; break stormy winds, provide shades and beautify the City of Voinjama.
Credit:AllAfrica.com