Tree Planting To Begin In Schools

TWENTY one million shillings has been spent on seedlings to be planted by school children countrywide. Tree talk, a new environment preservation programme will donate the seedlings.The programme aims at teaching school children the value of afforestation. The target is learners from nursery school to tertiary level. Tree talk is the brainchild of the national forestry secretariat, National tree seed centre and the straight talk foundation. “Young people were being left out of tree planting. So the programme is to incorporate the young people in tree planting,” says Sebastian Walaita, a forester. He continued to explain that, young people have their own ways of perceiving and interpreting information. Encouraging them to plant trees would ensure that the future generations are enlightened on tree planting. For these reason, Tree Talk is sending out tree seeds to 13,000 primary schools, 2,500 secondary schools and 400 tertiary institutions. Relevant media and technical information will be sent alongside the seeds. Once the seeds get to the schools it is up to the headteachers to implement the planting. “Headteachers should guard against keeping seeds in their drawers because the seeds are expensive,” says Walaita.“At the end of the planting process we expect to have 17.5 million trees. So headteachers should help us realise this dream,” he asserts.He disclosed that, Tree Talk has divided Uganda into seven regions and each region will be given its own suitable species of seedlings. Seedlings for each region are, Markhamia lutea for the east, Sesbania sesban for the west, Khaya Senegalensis for the north, Tarmarindus indica for northeast, Khaya anthotheca central, Acacia mernsil for southwest and Maesopsis eminii for southern region. Seedlings were selected basing on two factors, the ecology of the area and the value attached of the tree (biophysical factors.)Walaita is optimistic that the programme will succeed because Tree Talk is reaching out with a number of messages like handouts and the Tree Talk magazine. Walaita says the forestry department will be consulted during the process of nurturing the seedlings. A monitoring team will be instituted to check on progress from planting to maturity. Ends