1.2 million Tree-Planting Campaign Launched

By Bongiwe Zwane-Maseko

The Minister of Tourism and Environmental Affairs today launched a tree planting campaign, ahead of the commemoration of the International Day of Forests to be held in March.

This follows a 10 Million National Tree Planting programme that was launched by the Prime Minister in 2020. The International Day of Forests 2023 will be commemorated under the theme “Forests and Health”.

“In the midst of the Covid-19 pandemic, which came with a huge demand on our biodiversity especially trees, a polluted planet, climate crisis, increasing diseases like cancer, asthma, and heart disease, there are urgent actions needed to keep humans and the planet healthy and foster a movement to create societies focused on well-being, one that is planting trees”, said the Minister.

The Minister invited every liSwati to plant a tree by 21 March 2023, saying trees are the lungs of the earth.

This is an activity by the Department of Forestry, under the Ministry of Tourism and Environmental Affairs. It is supported by the Eswatini Environment Authority (EEA) and other stakeholders.