Earth Today | Restoring roots

THE FORESTRY Department recently lead the charge in environmental restoration by collaborating to put more than 600 trees in the ground.

The occasion was the 22nd annual National Tree Planting Day celebration, dedicated to restoring Jamaica’s landscapes.

In the wake of the devastation caused by Hurricane Beryl, the agency coined the theme ‘Restore our Roots ... Replant a Tree Today’, to reflect the focus on the ability oftrees to improve the island’s resilience to natural disasters, including hurricanes.

The passage of the July hurricane left many vulnerable, with the destruction of infrastructure, homes and crops.

“The recent hurricane, illegal timber harvesting and other ongoing deforestation pressures continue to pose a threat to our forests and the environment. Therefore, we cannot relax and reduce our efforts, so it remains crucial that we continue to plant trees now, not just for immediate recovery but for the future,” noted Ainsley Henry, chief executive officer and conservator of Forests at the Forestry Department.

He added that trees are exemplary recovery machines and protectors of the environment, supporting the nutrition of other damaged trees, preventing flooding and soil erosion and providing a buffer against the heavy winds that accompany hurricanes.

They also supply food; and sequester carbon, which helps to address planetary heating, purify air and water, and provide oxygen.

Among the agency’s partners for this year’s observance were the PAC Kingston Airport Limited at the Norman Manley International Airport where ornamental seedlings, including yellow poui, the Parish Tree of Kingston, were planted along the thoroughfare between the two roundabouts.

Trees were also planted at several other locations, including Edwin Allen High in Clarendon, which saw 60 roots put in the ground, in line with the institution’s 60th anniversary celebrations.

Other collaborators were Albert Town High in Trelawny; Brae’s River Primary in St Elizabeth; Roxborough Museum Heritage Site in Manchester; as well as the Moneague Teachers’ College; and lands in Beulah Park managed by Jamaica Bauxite Mining Ltd, both in St Ann.