Towards developing a sustainable environment, the Nigerian Conservation Foundation (NCF) in partnership with National Parks Service (NPS) has embarked on fruit trees planting in community schools in Edo State.
According to the NCF, the need to build the culture of tree planting and re-greening the environment birthed the tree planting project in Udo community, Ovia South-West Local Government Area, Edo State.
The project whose pilot phase was conducted in Obarenren Primary School, Obarenren will involve planting of fruit trees and setting up of nurseries, as well as conservation clubs in nine (9) schools in Udo community.
Some of the fruit trees planted were avocado, jack fruit, mango, soursop, orange etc. The pupils of the schools will further be engaged on setting up of nurseries, tree planting and other conservation club activities.
NCF Director, Technical Programmes, Dr. Joseph Onoja, who led the NCF team stressed the need for every community in Edo State and neighbouring states to adopt tree planting exercise as top priority.
Speaking further, he said: “We all know that we need to plant more trees, and there is no better place to start than in the schools.”
The school community appreciated the gesture and pledged to nurture the plants while head teachers of other schools present showed interests in the project.
To carry on with the programme, the NCF has designed activities such as: establishment of conservation clubs in each of the 9 schools, this is to further involve the pupils on environmental education; there will be monthly visit to the schools for proper monitoring of the project; the students will be trained on plant potting and setting up of nurseries; and each school will make space available for the nurseries to be set up in their schools.
