Greenpeace Durban heads to Knysna for ‘treeforestation’ festival

GREENPEACE Durban, which is based in Durban North will journey to Knysna next month to assist in the ‘treeforestation’ (reforestation) of Knysna’s indigenous forests that were largely destroyed in the devastating fires of 2017.

Desiree Laverne, marketing liaison and coordinator for Greenpeace Durban will be joined on the trip by two other members, Delwyn Pillay and Thashnee Moodley.

The team will attend Greenpop Eden festival of actions, a week of collaborative efforts between local and international environmental organisations as well as various social initiatives. This year’s Greenpop will be held at the Wild Spirit lodge near Plettenburg bay and the heart of the Garden route.

“We will also be joined at the Greenpop event by world renowned Ecosystem restoration researcher John D. Liu who has produced numerous films for BBC, National Geographic and Discovery,” added Laverne.

She explained that the 2017 fires devastated the Garden route area which is surrounded by indigenous forests.

Also read: Durban North resident impresses with Moana themed outfits

“Alien vegetation exasperated the situation and 86 000 hectares of indigenous forests, including homes went up in flames. The impact of the fire was immense both environmentally and socially. Rebuilding of these areas is what we will be focusing on. Apart from the obvious reforestation, where we intend planting thousands of trees, we will be attending environmental workshops, rehabilitating eco-systems, clearing alien vegetation and setting up recycling systems. Greenpeace Durban will use this experience to not only gain a wealth of knowledge but we will be able to come back and connect with communities to share our knowledge,” she said.

Sustainability is only possible if each person contributes, said Laverne.

“Our world has reached a tipping point, and it’s up to each one of us to take responsibility for our planet’s survival. We need to make intelligent choices so that future generations can live a healthier lifestyle and die of old age and not climate change. We need to learn to live sustainability, think before you destroy or chop down a tree,” she said.

Trees play a vital role in sustaining human life as they produce oxygen and store carbon.

Also read: Still grave concern for Umhlanga Cemetery access

Laverne said: “When a tree is destroyed, carbon is released into the atmosphere. Deforestation is our enemy. Causes of deforestation are mostly mining on tropical forests, logging, cattle farming and paper. Did you know, Africa’s very own tropical rainforest, The Congo Basin which spans 6 countries is under threat. We are losing approximately 750 truckloads of rainforest every single day. If trees are life, shouldn’t we be protecting what we depend on to breathe and survive?”

For more from Northglen News follow us on Facebook or Twitter. You can also follow us on Instagram