2.7 Million Trees Already Planted Under National Initiative

A total of 2.7 million trees have already been planted under a national initiative targeting three million, the Forestry Department has reported.

Speaking on Nationwide 90 FM’s ‘Ask the Minister’ segment on Tuesday (September 12), Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and Conservator of Forests, Ainsley Henry, said the remaining 300,000 trees are to be planted by year-end.

The three million trees initiative was announced by Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, in 2019 with an initial target of three years.

Mr. Henry informed that “with a severe drought in the middle of the year, it’s been a little challenging, and it didn’t help that when we got started it was the beginning of COVID”.

He, nonetheless, encourages Jamaicans to play their part in reaching the new deadline set by the Prime Minister.

Pointing out that trees are recognised as one of the most important elements in combatting climate change and noting that the initiative is one that “every single person has the ability or opportunity to do”, Mr. Henry said “If you haven’t planted a tree, I encourage you to plant a tree.

“There are three million of us on this little rock. So if every single Jamaican goes out tomorrow and plants a tree, not only will we hit the target but we will surpass it… double it in fact. So that’s what we are encouraging,” he stated.

Mr. Henry also encourages persons to plant the varieties of trees that are suitable for their space, which can also be acquired at the Forestry Department.

On the matter of how the trees planted are being accounted for, Mr. Henry told programme host Nora-Gay Banton that, “we would have recorded that we gave it to you”.

“But we also have an app, it’s called the 876 Trees app, that you can download and you can report and record the trees that you’ve planted, how they’re doing, [and] you can get advice on tree planting and so on,” he further informed.

Additionally, there is a form on the Forestry Department’s website where persons can enter the relevant information.

“All of these mechanisms are there to help you to tell us what you have done so that we can record and tell the world how well this little nation is doing in terms of environmental protection, in terms of our stewardship and in terms of our efforts to combat climate change,” Mr. Henry said.

With National Tree Planting Day coming up in October, the CEO advised that there will be a mass distribution of trees at the Department’s facilities with an aim of planting 100,000 .

He also offered words of advice to Jamaicans who will participate in the exercise.

“It’s important to note that just like any other child, any other young thing, when they are planted as seedlings, they need to be cared for in order for them to become strong, healthy and productive trees,” Mr. Henry said.

“So, that’s one of the things that we’re encouraging people to do too… not simply take seedlings and plant them and then forget them, especially in a drought and in dry times,” he added.