Sunday Mail Reporter
Environment conservation group Forest Lovers, which has partnered several corporates including Zimbabwe’s largest integrated media house Zimpapers in a tree-planting drive, believes involving children in the campaign will help reduce the effects of climate change.
The campaign, running under the theme “Every Child, a Tree”, is centred on raising children’s awareness of conservation issues and promoting tree planting.
In an interview, Forest Lovers founder Mr Bob Mavende said: “We are trying to promote tree planting among kids and bring awareness on how they can be involved.
“So, tree planting is one of the ways we reckoned was simple for children to take part in mitigating climate change.
“So, we are promoting tree planting in schools, especially at primary level.
“Previously, we would randomly select a school where we would conduct tree planting.
“So far, we have planted nearly 5 000 trees since the programme was launched.”
The campaign was launched last year and it involves selecting child ambassadors who have mastered the concept of environment conservation to lead the tree-planting drive.
“There are three child ambassadors whose duties are to promote awareness among their peers on why they need to be engaged in tree-planting activities and also in climate change mitigation.
“We also intend to launch a tree bank for children which will symbolically reflect how the children are growing their future under threat from climate change,” he said.
The current child ambassadors are Cornelius Muzenda and Tinotendaishe Mugano from The Grange Christian School and Trisha Ramabhai from Bishopslea Preparatory School for Girls.
In March this year, representatives from Zimpapers planted 25 indigenous trees at Greenwood Park in Harare as part of the campaign.
The Forestry Commission of Zimbabwe and Unifreight Zimbabwe (Swift) are the other partners in the campaign.
