Latest news with #NationalGreeningProgramme
The Citizen
12-07-2025
- Politics
- The Citizen
One million trees campaign kicks off at Botanical Gardens
One million trees campaign kicks off at Botanical Gardens The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) recently launched its One Million Trees campaign at the National Botanical Gardens. Led by Deputy Minister Bernice Swarts, various stakeholders attended the July 7 launch. It followed the One Employee, One Tree launch at the DFFE Head Office in April. 'The country has borne the brunt of climate change and the resultant devastation it causes in communities and economies. We have witnessed fires, deadly heatwaves, heavy rains, floods, and prolonged droughts. These events underscore our shared vulnerability, but also our shared responsibility to act, to adapt, and to do so in a way that leaves no one behind,' Swarts said. President Cyril Ramaphosa has directed that 10 million trees, comprising 60% fruit and 40% indigenous, be planted in the country over five years, ending in 2026. Among others, attendees included: – Deputy Minister of Women, Youth, and Persons with Disabilities, Mapaseka Steve Letsike – Dean of the Diplomatic Corps and Ambassador of Eritrea, HE Mr Salih Omar Abdu – High Commissioner of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, HE Mr Malik Muhammad Farooq – His Majesty Morena Moremoholo Motebang Mopeli of the Bakoena Royal House (Qwaqwa). The DFFE plans to use the campaign to create employment opportunities through tree planting and tackle the high cost of living by integrating fruit trees into food security efforts. 'Tree planting is one of the mitigating factors that are recommended to slow down this environmental threat. It is for this reason that the department is pursuing the co-ordination and implementation of the National Greening Programme,' Swarts stated. She said that if trees that are suitable for a particular area are planted, and we continue working with researchers, the battle against climate change will slowly be won. The DFFE has developed a list of suitable trees that can be planted in different provinces and climate zones. They have also developed a database of nurseries where trees will be sourced through the QR system developed to access the pledge form and the catalogue of the nurseries. Swarts said, 'We have made a provision to accommodate those sponsors who intend to contribute trees. The South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI) has designated spaces to be used as a tree bank, where the donated trees will be stored. 'The donated trees will be stored at the 11 National Botanical Gardens across the country and DFFE nurseries, while we are finalising logistics for the one million trees planting day, September 24. We are dedicating that day to planting trees across the country, as we commemorate Heritage Day.' The department has also identified spaces where trees will survive for generations, and the trees will be planted there. These are areas where most of the requirements to plant and care for trees, such as availability of water, dedicated people to take care of the trees, security or fencing, are met. These include public institutions, early childhood development centres, churches, schools, police stations, clinics, some low-cost housing units, and many other places. To date, a list of sites where trees will be planted has been developed and is being refined as input from stakeholders is gathered. Swarts closed off with a quote from the first African woman to receive the Nobel Peace Prize, Kenyan Wangari Maathai: 'When we plant trees, we plant the seeds of peace and hope.' Do you have more information about the story? Please send us an email to [email protected] or phone us on 083 625 4114. For free breaking and community news, visit Rekord's websites: Rekord East For more news and interesting articles, like Rekord on Facebook, follow us on Twitter or Instagram or TikTok. At Caxton, we employ humans to generate daily fresh news, not AI intervention. Happy reading!
The South African
11-07-2025
- General
- The South African
South Africa to host second G20 environment and climate meeting
South Africa, through the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), will host the second technical meeting of the Group of 20 (G20) Environment and Climate Sustainability Working Group (ECSWG) next week. The meeting will be held from 14-18 July at Skukuza in the Kruger National Park. The ECSWG will facilitate high-level discussions on various critical topics, including biodiversity and conservation, climate change, land degradation, desertification and drought, chemicals and waste management, air quality, and ocean and coastal issues. According to the department, this meeting will build on the progress made at the first virtual ECSWG meeting held in March and will focus on deepening collaboration within the priorities of the G20 ECSWG. The DFFE is coordinating the ECSWG, ensuring alignment with South Africa's policy priorities and global sustainability commitments. The key activities focused on promoting global cooperation for environmental sustainability. This includes leading three ECSWG meetings, integrating sustainability discussions within G20 Working Groups, and collaborating with stakeholders and member states to achieve actionable results in climate finance, biodiversity, pollution management, and ocean governance. The meeting at the Kruger National Park forms part of a series of three ECSWG engagements hosted by South Africa during its G20 Presidency. The meeting will bring together over 250 delegates, including representatives from G20 member states, invited countries, international organisations, government officials, and the media. The Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Dr Dion George, will launch G20 legacy projects at the second technical meeting of the ECSWG. The launch of the G20 legacy project, Rhino Renaissance Campaign, will demonstrate conservation efforts in fighting wildlife crime. This will include a live demonstration of the dehorning of rhino process to be administered by the world-acclaimed South African National Parks Veterinary Services in the presence of the Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment, and a selected group of delegates. The leaders will also embark on the G20 tree planting activity, a symbolic tree planting ceremony of 20 trees, one for each G20 member, outside the Nombolo Mdluli Conference Centre. 'This initiative forms part of South Africa's National Greening Programme, which aims to plant 10 million trees over five years. It is a bold step toward addressing the Presidential imperatives on greening,' the statement read. The leaders will also announce the school essay winners. Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1 Subscribe to The South African website's newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
IOL News
07-07-2025
- General
- IOL News
South Africa's ambitious plan to plant a million trees in one day
The Forestry Department aims to plant one million trees on September 24. Image: ImsoGabriel Stock via Pixabay As part of its National Greening Programme, South Africa's Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) has announced an ambitious plan to plant one million trees on September 24. The initiative not only aims to mitigate climate change, but also create employment and enhance food security through the planting of fruit trees. At the launch of the One Million Trees Campaign at the Pretoria National Botanical Garden on July 7, South Africa's Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries, and the Environment, Bernice Swarts, said her department was currently finalising logistics for the 'one million trees' planting day. The DFFE has identified 'safe' spaces where the trees will be planted, where requirements such as water availability, a dedicated person to look after the trees, and security or fencing are in place. Such places will include public institutions such as schools, churches, clinics, Early Childhood Development Centres, and certain Low-Income Housing establishments. The trees will be sourced through a network of approved nurseries, and South Africans will be asked to sponsor trees as soon as the DFFE's online QR system has been set up. The donated trees will be stored at the 11 National Botanical Gardens across the country, and DFFE nurseries, while planting logistics are being finalised. 'We are calling on all South Africans to join hands in greening our country. This is an all of society campaign which calls on collaboration by government departments, municipalities, civil society organisations, Non-Government Organisations, corporates, students and learners, churches and the public at large to plant at least one million trees for the benefit of our country,' Swarts said at the campaign's Pretoria launch event. 'The country has borne the brunt of climate change and the resultant devastation it causes in communities and economies. We have witnessed fires, deadly heatwaves, heavy rains, floods, and prolonged droughts. These events underscore our shared vulnerability, but also our shared responsibility to act, to adapt, and to do so in a way that leaves no one behind,' she added. Swarts also underlined the importance of planting trees that were suitable for a particular area, and said that researchers were working with the department to develop a list of suitable trees in accordance with agro-ecological zones and climatic conditions in each province. The One Million Trees campaign follows President Cyril Ramaphosa's earlier instruction that 10 million trees be planted in the country over five years. Of these 60% should comprise fruit trees and the other 40% should be indigenous. 'I forever mourn when I go to Soweto and I see how we don't have enough trees in that Soweto environment and indeed in many other townships as well. So part of beautifying our cities, part of injecting life in our cities, should be looking at our environment, making it clean, making it attractive,' the President said during an address in March. IOL News
