Minister Charles Jr. to Submit ‘Renewed Jamaica’ Tree Planting Initiative for Cabinet Consideration

Minister of Housing, Urban Renewal, Environment and Climate Change, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr, says he will be submitting, for the Prime Minister’s consideration and that of Cabinet, an initiative dubbed ‘Renewed Jamaica’, which is geared at protecting the environment through the planting of trees.

He made the disclosure at the #MyTreeLegacy tree-planting exercise held at St. Catherine High School on Friday (June 18), where Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, participated in planting of trees at his alma mater.

“The Renewed Jamaica initiative will see us not just planting trees but going across this country to connect for a cause,” Minister Charles Jr. said.

He noted that the initiative will include partnerships with Corporate Jamaica, schools, community members, churches and others, to plant trees and also integrate, in the curriculum of schools, environmental sustainability and management of the environment as an integral subject area.

Minister Charles Jr said that service groups such as the Lion’s Clubs, Interact Clubs, Rotary Clubs and Key Clubs will be encouraged to help spread the messages that will be developed under the initiative to protect the environment.

A total of 24 trees provided by the Forestry Department were planted at St. Catherine High School under #MyTreeLegacy.

It is the Forestry Department’s latest promotion in support of the National Tree Planting Initiative, which aims to plant three million timber and ornamental trees over three years.

The first planting activity under this new thrust took place at the St. Jago High School in St. Catherine in February, where a mixture of 22 seedlings to include Yellow Poui, Pride of Barbados and Blue Mahoe were planted.

Through #MyTreeLegacy, the Forestry Department is offering past students of schools across the island an opportunity to engage with their alma maters in a way that provides tangible and lasting benefits, not only for current students but for future generations.

Minister Charles Jr. told the students gathered for the planting exercise that the national programme is more than just the action of planting trees.

“We are teaching you to be environmentally aware and to be responsible for yourself, for your environment, for your family and for your friends,” he said.

“Trees are the lungs of our environment and our planet… . The average-size tree produces enough oxygen to keep a family of four breathing. We don’t need any other information to understand the importance of trees. All we need to know is that trees keep us alive,” he said.

He noted that the national programme to plant three million trees in three years, will provide 39 million tonnes of oxygen for Jamaicans.