In celebration of spring and Arbor Week, the City of Mbombela (CoM) and its stakeholders took to the streets on Friday, September 5.

They gathered at the intersection of The Square Nelspruit and Crossing Centre Nelspruit to give motorists and community members plants, water, and a variety of other goodies.

The team also cleaned the area, removed alien invasive plants from a nearby stream, raised awareness, and engaged with shoppers at The Square.

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The CoM’s environmental officer, Nompumelelo Msomi, said: “The event was mainly about raising awareness of the importance of planting trees and highlighting their value to humanity and the environment. Discussions with shoppers focused on what residents can do to mitigate the impacts of climate change and their role in biodiversity conservation, particularly in controlling alien invasive species, recycling, and protecting aquatic ecosystems.

“In total, 100 reusable water bottles and shopping bags, 500 indigenous trees, 400 units of bottled water, and lollipops were distributed to motorists,” Msomi added, acknowledging all the sponsors and stakeholders who contributed to the event.

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