By Prince J Musa in Kenema
The Conservation Society of Sierra Leone (CSSL) has embarked on tree planting in seven communities, in the Small Bo Chiefdom, Kenema district, as part of activities to commemorate World Environmental Day
Bayama, Kpai, and Kambuwabu are among the settlements targeted.
The Environment Protection Coordinator of CCSL, Victor Mbomah Fabba, explained to the community people about the importance of planting trees. He said the conservation of trees can contribute to the growth and development of the earth and that prioritizing such an exercise can help protect the environment against climate change.
He cautioned them against human activities such as charcoal burning and logging, especially in the forest leading to environmental destruction.
"If we continue to deforest the environment, we are destroying our existence on earth," he pointed out.
He said living things will only survive on earth when the environment is safe and conducive and encouraged the people to stop all forms of illegal activities, especially in the reserved forest areas. He advised them to embark on massive tree planting that will enhance environmental protection in the community.
Sylvanus Bockarie Koroma, speaking on behalf of the Gola Forest Project, described the move by CSSL as important and timely. He said if the environment is not well protected and conserved there will be a time the people will not get good drinking water and good farm yield as the greatest sources of water is from the forest. “For you to harvest good yield in your agricultural product will depend on the forest so protect your environment,” he advised.
The District Forestry Officer of Kenema, Julius Sama, said the transfer of the forestry division from the Ministry of Agriculture to the Ministry of Environment means they are now working closely together to ensure the protection of the environment.
He said the division is charged with the responsibility of monitoring all illegal acts in the forest that including timber logging and the erection of illegal structures in certain areas which pose environmental threats.
Sama added that the division has always been in a position to nurse varieties of trees and that for any single tree lost, two should be planted.
He commended CSSL for networking with them in ensuring that they sensitize the community so that they will be aware of the significance of conserving the environment and encouraged the people to plant more trees so that their environment will not encounter drought during the dry season.
Sama, said that the government has given priority to tree planting initially targeting fifty million trees, to ensure the protection of the environment. He also affirmed the division’s collective collaboration with CSSL to protect the environment.
The regional manager Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Abdul Bah outlined the necessities for protecting the environment as the major role of the EPA is to protect the environment. He said EPA frowns at those that are destroying the environment, adding that the agency has arrested and charged to court people caught doing gold mining in the Kambui forest and who are now in prison. He said they will crack down on those in the habit of backfilling wetlands and assured of their commitment to continue with the working relationship with CSSL in protecting the environment.
The senior town chief of Small Bo chiefdom, Chief Ibrahim Kekula, said over the years they started experiencing some of the effects of the environment such as low agricultural yield, a hot environment during the night, and shortage of water for domestic use. He said most of the streams they use to get drinking water from, have become dry.
The chief assured the conservation society that they will always embark on tree planting as means of protecting their environment.
The tree-planting project is being supported by the European Union (EU).
Copyright © 2022 Politico Online (10/06/22)
