Foundations take tree planting initiative to schools

As a way of preserving the natural environment, inculcating the ideals and ideas of tree planting in pupils, and helping to boost economic status of schools, a non-governmental organisation, Lora Green Foundation, in partnership with The Voice with Chehzman, an environmental conservation organisation, recently embarked on planting of economic and ornamental trees in schools in Nnewi, Nnewi North Local Government Area of the Anambra State. One of the schools where the organisations left their signatures was the Nnewi High School, Nnewi, where they planted all sorts of trees within and around the environment, in the presence of the management and students.

Some of the trees planted during their visit to the schools include, but not limited to Garcinia kola (Bitter kola), Irvingia Gabonensis (Bush Mango), as well different varieties of ornamental trees that provide shade. Speaking during the tree planting ceremony, the founder, Lora Green Foundation, Miss Obimdike Loretta, said the initiative was put in place to instil sense of responsibility and personal commitment in the young population, with a view to protecting and preserving the environment. She said: “The tree planting project is meant to let school children understand that tree planting is a worthwhile venture.

Every day, we face deforestation. So, for the children to understand that cutting down trees should be stopped, and that tree planting encouraged, we need to show them the way. I believe in catching them young. If I do it with them tomorrow, they will do it alone. I am here today to tell them that this is what needs to be done, and this is how to do it. “The importance of this project is to protect the environment.

Trees are natural air purifiers. The trees will purify the natural air that we take in. Again, we suffer from global warming because of deforestation and some other human activities. Planting trees is the most natural way to reverse the trend. Moreover, we are planting economic trees such as the Garcinia kola and Irvingia Gabonensis.

We are planting them as economic trees, which will fetch money for the school in the long run. These economic trees, when matured, could be harvested and sold, and money realized could be used to pay school fees of indigent students.

We do not want a situation where a student or pupil will drop out of school, because the parents cannot pay school fees.” Also speaking, the founder, the Voice with Chehzman Foundation, Anyaegbunam Echezona, said Nigeria and, of course, Africa as a whole, are facing problems of environmental degradation, resulting from human activities. According to him: “Ours is an environmental conservation organisation.

We focus more on environmental sensitization and waste management. We’ve looked around Africa, not just Nigeria alone, and found out that one of the biggest challenges facing the government and the entire continent is the environment. Looking at our environment, you will realize that the way we do things in our environment, such as waste management and cutting down trees, are causing all sorts of health hazards.

The reason why we are partnering with Lora Green Foundation on this project is to adequately protect our environment; because, God forbid, another pandemic breaks out, I don’t believe many people will survive it; going by the indiscriminate way we cut down trees without replacements. So, we’re doing the best we can to preserve nature and the environment.” Also speaking, the Principal of Nnewi High School, Nnewi, Godwin Aghadinuno, said planting of ornamental and economic trees, as demonstrated by the foundations, would help beautify the school’s environment and also help the school economically.

“The trees will also help in the art of teaching and learning, because, instead of pointing at text books the teacher could take the students to plants, show and teach them whatever they need to know,” he said; adding: “We have a club in this school, whose duty is to take care of the environment.

As a management, we advise the club and the students in general to preserve and protect the trees and the entire environment; so that the trees could survive and give what they are meant to give.” The Vice Principal of the school, Dr.Nnenna Monwuba, while appreciating the foundations for their good initiatives in protecting the environment, gave a cursory view of the benefits the school stands to get in the long run.

“The move they are making is a good one – thinking about the environment. These plants planted everywhere will help in so many ways to protect the school from erosion, land degradation of all sorts, and above all, because they’re economic trees, they will help to generate funds, which could be used to help students and to put school structures in place.

“It is a good thing that our students also learn to plant trees, because, when they leave the school, they will need to talk about the environment, including their home environments, or even teach about it. Environment wellbeing is a global concept in vogue now. Everybody should be environmentally conscious, for the good of all,” she said.