The Ministry of Sustainable Development, Energy, Science and Technology is collaborating with the Saint Lucia National Trust (SLNT) to organise a tree-planting exercise in commemoration of World Forest Day on March 21.
World Forestry Day or International Day of Forests is celebrated worldwide every year on March 21 to increase public awareness about the values, significance and contributions of forests to balance the life cycle on earth.
The tree planting exercise is intended to restore forest areas around the island which were destroyed by Hurricane Tomas in 2011 and the 2013 Christmas Eve trough.
The organisers are attempting to plant a total of seven hundred trees in separate exercises on March 21 and 28, 2014.
This is part of ongoing efforts to plant the remaining 700 of the 5000 trees for the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee tree planting challenge issued last year by the Governor General, Her Excellency Dame Pearlette Louisy.
Friday’s exercise will see various fruit and forest trees planted in the following areas:
- Vieux Fort: Comfort Bay Senior Citizens Home – 50 plants
- Dennery: Fond River – 100 plants
- Castries: Roseau River Bank – 150 plants
The remaining trees will be planted on Friday, March 28 in Soufriere along the River Bank and the Cresslands area, and the Saint Lucia Mental Wellness Centre on the Millennium Highway.
The initiative will be spearheaded by the Forestry Department, the SLNT and the Sustainable Development and Environment Division and begins at 9 a.m on both days.
The Saint Lucia Electricity Services Limited (LUCELEC) and the East Caribbean Financial Holdings (ECFH) are again both displaying their corporate social responsibility by providing manpower and financial support for the successful staging of the tree planting exercises.
Interested residents in the various locations are also encouraged to participate.
Kindly contact the SLNT at 452-5005 or email doccentre@slunatrust.org for more details.