The Green Development Foundation (GDF) proceeded to implement and enable the planting of one million trees in Gauteng Province on September 14, 2022, when they visited Far North Secondary School in Cosmo City, north of Johannesburg, to plant more trees.
The planting of one million trees in Gauteng Province is part of the government’s commitment to the 10 Million Tree Programme, which seeks to plant at least 10 million trees in South Africa by 2024.
According to GDF Marketing Manager Refilwe Philemon, out of the ten million trees to be planted in the country, Gauteng Province agreed to contribute to the planting of one million of them, and GDF was chosen to implement and facilitate the initiative.
“We are working hard with the Gauteng Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to reach a target of one million trees in the province,” she said.
The GDF team, along with selected students, planted three trees at the school and educated the pupils on the importance of tree planting.
According to Philemon, trees have numerous characteristics that contribute to our ecosystem, not only through oxygen, but also by providing sturdy support for things like natural calamities.
“We have an example of what happened lately in KZN,” she said. “All of the houses would not have collapsed in the same way if the trees had been more stable. As a result, trees have a significant impact on our society.”
Philemon added that the quality of the air we breathe in some places is poor due to traffic and population growth, which is accompanied by a lack of trees. She believes that planting more trees improves air quality, which improves health and gives people in townships greater health.
As GDF promotes the planting of trees in Gauteng, Philemon believes it is critical to instill a green mindset in the next generation.
“Nurturing the young mind is always easier than trying to mould an older one,” she noted.
“Our children have a significant influence in our homes. For instance, if a child is taught something at school, he or she ensures that it is implemented at home. We are attempting to raise awareness that is solely aimed at children since we believe that starting from the bottom is much easier and better.”
She stated that GDF will conduct further activations in numerous schools, with the goal of reinforcing the campaign in collaboration with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development.
“We encourage people to continue planting trees, not only for shade, but also for air quality and food security,” she said.
Patricia Runganga, a Far North Secondary School student, said the GDF’s tree planting initiative taught her more about the value of trees.
“Everyone should learn how to plant trees, and we should devise a plan to prevent deforestation in our country,” the student noted. “I would encourage people to put seeds in a bucket every time they eat a fruit, and whether they are in a taxi or a car, they can throw those seeds out the window, and when there is a free space, trees will sprout and nature will take care of itself. Because we don’t have many trees at our school, I consider this a blessing. More trees, more life.”
Green Development Foundation (GDF) is a non-profit organization that seeks to improve agriculture. During the COVID-19 lockdown, GDF developed the FURA idea, which aims to overcome the poverty and unemployment barrier by establishing a long-term solution for home food security.
Dumani Moyo is a journalist with eight years of experience. He has a special mix of skills, including writing and photography.
He currently possesses an honors degree in journalism and media studies. Along with his years of experience in traditional journalism, he has grown more interested over time in sustainability and environmental journalism.