75,000 Trees to be Planted Soon in Southwest
By Christopher Ambe Shu
Cameroon’s Minister of Forestry and Wildlife, Professor Elvis Ngolle Ngolle, September 4, 2008, launched Government’s huge tree-planting campaign in the Southwest province.
Picture:Minister Ngolle Ngolle planting tree in Buea Town
Ngolle Ngolle, who himself publicly planted a tree, announced that some 75000 trees will soon be planted in the Southwest province covering a total area of about 250ha
The minister had earlier launched same tree-planting campaign in several of Cameroon’s ten provinces
The Southwest province has a surface area of 24,571square kilometers, with a population of over 1.2million people
The Southwest province, he noted, is already experiencing problems linked to degradation of forest cover, such as increasing temperatures, changes in rainfall patterns and increasing floods and landslides, exposed water catchments and loss of biodiversity.
“The success of this tree-planting campaign and other tree -planting initiatives will depend on the cooperation of everybody and I am calling on the population of Buea and of the Southwest province in general to take good care of the trees that will be planted,” he said at the ceremony to launch the tree-planting campaign at Buea Multi-Purpose Youth Development Center, which was attended among other dignitaries by Eyeya Zanga Loius, the provincial governor.
“ In so doing we will all fulfill our moral obligation of ensuring that current and future generations live in a conducive environment”,
The minister said the campaign was in line with the political will of the head of state, Paul Biya, as reflected in Cameron’s forestry policy. The forestry policy encourages increase in forest productivity and the renewal of forest resources so to compensate for forest loss.
Tree-planting, the minister noted, has become a national and international obligation. “At global level about 50% of wood traded internationally today comes form planted trees”, he disclosed
Ngolle Ngolle said in Cameroon the emphasis of developing tree plantations has shifted from an entirely government affair to a community-based activity with decentralized institutions, community-based organizations and private individuals being the main actors
He hailed municipal councils in the Southwest province such as Buea and Tiko which have taken the lead to develop and implement a tree-planting program in their municipalities .The minister encouraged other councils to develop tree-planting programs and assured them of the ministry‘s support to such initiatives.
He said his ministry may soon transfer the management of some state forest reserves to local councils.
Earlier in his welcome address, Charles Mbella Moki,Buea Mayor, appreciated what he described as “the relentless efforts of the minister aimed at the conservation and preservation of our rich and diverse flora and fauna”. He said the tree-planting campaign had come at a time his council’s strategic plan on afforestation and green city program was in motion.
Picture:Buea Mayor Mbella Moki(sash round waist) looking at gifts donated by Minister
The mayor announced he had already planted 3,700 trees along some streets within the Buea municipality. “Today’s event complements and encourages our efforts in transforming and structuring the landscape and image of our municipality”, he remarked
The minister donated some equipment to Buea Council to encourage the green city program, which included water pump, spades, dig-axes, cutlasses, wheelbarrows and water cans.
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