1,000 Trees Planted at Lydford Beulah Park Great House in St. Ann

One thousand trees were planted at the Lydford Beulah Park Great House in St. Ann on Friday (October 6) to mark National Tree Planting Day.

The initiative, which started in 2003, is an annual observance led by the Forestry Department, and celebrated on the first Friday in October.

The undertaking aims to promote the value of trees while providing an opportunity for citizens to contribute to increasing Jamaica’s forest cover and beautifying communities.

This year’s commemoration was staged under the theme ‘Keep the Heat Away, Plant a Tree Today’.

The Forestry Department partnered with Jamaica Bauxite Mining Limited (JBM) for the engagement at the great house, which was the national project.

Speaking during Friday’s commemorative ceremony, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Forestry Department, and Conservator of Forests, Ainsley Henry, said large-scale tree planting has immense benefits, particularly in mitigating the effects of climate change.

This year’s theme, he pointed out, emanated from the fact that “climate change and its effects have become our reality.”

The CEO also underscored the role of trees in providing shade and regulating and reducing temperatures, particularly in urban areas, by up to 12 degrees Celsius.

“The cooling benefits will undoubtedly make going outdoors more attractive and comfortable for all our people. Now, trees are our most valuable allies in carbon sequestration as they absorb and store carbon dioxide during photosynthesis, which helps to mitigate the effects of climate change by reducing the concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere,” Mr. Henry explained.

Beyond environmental benefits, he said tree planting fosters community engagement and unity and strengthens residents’ sense of pride and ownership while promoting social cohesion and happiness.

Against this background, Mr. Henry implores individuals and organisations to support the National Tree Planting initiative and care for trees previously planted.

He reiterated that a total of 2.7 million trees have already been planted under a national initiative launched in 2019 by Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness.

The initiative targets the planting of three million trees in three years.

“We didn’t yet know that we would have faced COVID, multiple extreme weather events, etcetera. But despite that, we are happy and encouraged by the support that all Jamaicans have shown us thus far; and they have helped us to reach 2.7 million trees to date,” Mr. Henry added.

For her part, JBM Managing Director, Donna Howe, said the entity was pleased to partner with the Forestry Department on the national project, noting that it aligns with “our environmental and social governance objectives.”

“This is a fraction of the 3,000 trees that JBM will be partnering with the Forestry Department to plant this year, and this is just a small contribution towards the national goal target,” she said.

The Forestry Department also hosted other projects at Frome Technical High School and Mount Hermon All Age School in Westmoreland where several trees were planted.