The Sunday Mail
Online Reporter
SPAR Zimbabwe, in partnership with My Trees Trust, Royden School, and the Nyabira community, last weekend planted 10 000 trees in Nyabira.
The tree planting event, which will see 10 000 Acacia trees being planted, is in commemoration of National Tree Planting Day, which is held annually on the first Saturday of December.
The collective effort is the result of SPAR Zimbabwe’s in-store “One Tree Planted” campaign, which saw suppliers and shoppers contributing nationwide to a campaign to raise funds to plant trees in an area that needs reforestation in Zimbabwe.
The combined funds raised were sufficient to plant 10 000 Acacia trees in an area of open grassland close to Royden School, just outside Nyabira, an area which is in dire need of woodland rehabilitation.
Said SPAR Zimbabwe general manager, Mr Cypren Borerwe:
“The iconic SPAR logo is a tree. It is an integral part of our identity and our heritage, and it represents a symbiotic relationship, where all parts work together to the mutual benefit of all.
“Trees quite literally bring life to our planet, and they are vital to our survival.”
The project has been facilitated through One Tree Planted, a non-profit organisation focused on global reforestation, and their local planting partner, My Trees (Miti Yangu) in Zimbabwe.
My Trees has made significant inroads into restoring and protecting indigenous woodland habitats across Zimbabwe, whilst providing alternative sources of income to the surrounding communities.
My Trees executive coordinator, Dr Rory Pilosoff said:
“Getting the youth to think about climate change and the potential impact is vitally important.
“Tree planting work and nursery management are practical elements to this process and we are hoping we can expand on this in coming years.
“We are planting 340,000 trees across Zimbabwe in 2022.”
Since its inception in 2019, My Trees has provided 100 000 indigenous seedlings to 447 community-based growers.
It has also distributed 50 000 fuel-efficient wood stoves and has placed 120 000 hectares of land under conservation.
