Date: 2012-08-28

The Steering Committee on Tree Planting in Kwara State says it has planted over 25,500 seedlings under the tree planting scheme.

The tree planting scheme, sponsored by the Chainsaw Mill Association in the state, is said to be the first afforestation programme and private initiative scheme in Nigeria.

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin at the weekend, Chairman, steering committee, Funsho Dare, said about six hectares of land in Asa Dam river bank between Asa and Ilorin West Local Government areas were planted with the seedlings.

He also said that over 10 hectares of land in Oke-Ode, Ifelodun local government areas, 10 hectares of land in Babanla, Ifelodun local government areas, about two hectares of land in Lafiagi, Edu LGA and over two hectares of land in Bode Saadu, Moro local government areas, had been planted with tree seedlings.

The chairman, who said allocations of land had been concluded in Igbaja and Offa for same exercise, lamented that Oro Ago in Ifelodun Local Government Area, Oke Ero, Ekiti, Kaiama and Baruten local government areass were yet to get suitable allocations of land for the purpose of the scheme, calling on the state government to assist with vast allocations of land.

He commended traditional rulers in the state for their cooperation and the present Abdulfatah Ahmed government for demonstrating support to the scheme through the state Ministry of Environment, particularly, the Forestry Department.

Dare, who said the tree planting scheme was scheduled to be a yearly exercise, added that the aim of the project was to put defence against unsustenable environmental practices such as cutting of trees, particularly, economy forest trees such as shea-butter, teak, gymlinea, mahogany, locust beans for charcoal, total destruction of nutrients and micro organisms on the earth surface during charcoal production, indiscriminate clearing of the forest for farming and commercial purposes and killing of economy bush animals.

He said the unsustenable practices are part of factors that result to environmental hazard and climate change.

"It is at the instance of the foregoing, the new consciousness in all the stakeholders engendered the crusade to plant trees as a formidable response to the worldwide campaign to reduce the effects of the global warming. Therefore, the clause, 'Replace one tree with three trees', now becomes the major slogan of the Chainsaw Mill Association in Kwara State," he said.