400 trees donated to beautify Ext 20
"The Plant-A-Tree Programme is a platform for organisations and individuals to actively participate in the greening of our town and homes by planting trees" Mogalakwena Municipality
MOKOPANE – Extension 20 boasts 400 new trees which were donated to them last Friday at the Sekgakgapheng Sports Ground by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries in partnership with the Mogalakwena Municipality’s Department of Community Services, Parks and Recreation.
“Caring for trees and the environment are the social responsibility of every individual.
“The Plant-A-Tree Programme is a platform for organisations and individuals to actively participate in the greening of our town and homes by planting trees,” read a media statement by the municipality.
The Divisional Head of Parks and Recreation, Jabu Mashamaite, added: “Studies have shown when people are surrounded by greenery they are healthier and build better family relationships.” Mashamaite urged the community to keep their areas clean at all times and to refrain from dumping illegally.
Before Mafoko Masilo from the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries took the community for a tree planting mini-workshop at Sylvia Moeketse’s home, he addressed the crowd.
“We have conducted a survey and noticed the residents’ RDP houses in Extension 20 are in need of trees.”
The Community Services Portfolio chairperson, Mmaphuti Senoamadi, also commented,
“Trees are our lives and our lives are depended on trees as they give us oxygen.
“Trees are like any other living organism, which will grow old and become weak. Hence, in order to sustain our lush greenery, we need to constantly plant new trees. “We produce furniture from trees and they beautify our environment but their value lay beyond the aesthetics.
They remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, increase biodiversity in our environment, prevent soil erosion, as well as provide shade and lower the atmospheric temperature.”
Franklin Delano Rooseveldt, 32nd president of the United States, is known for saying: “A nation that destroys its soils destroys itself. Forests are the lungs of our land, purifying the air and giving fresh strength to our people.”
