The Lagos State Government has said that it aims to plant half a million trees, before the end of the raining season.
This would total the number of trees planted by the state’s government, within the decade, to over 8 million.
This was disclosed by the General Manager, State’s Parks and Gardens Agency (LASPARK), Mrs. Adetoun Popoola, during a briefing to commemorate the 2020 Tree planting day, which holds today.
Unveiling the theme for the 2020 Tree planting day, as ‘Trees For Life’, Popoola said that LASPARK, in specific response to the Covid-19 pandemic will be dedicating this year planting of trees in “honour and celebration of the ‘Frontline Heroes’ (Medical workers) who through sheer dedication, compassion and strength are risking their lives every day to flatten the curve of the pandemic and keep us safe.”
She said that the state will be adopting four isolation centres as ceremonial sites for this year’s planting day as theses locations are significant in view of the theme: ‘Trees for Life’.
According to her, trees will also be simultaneously planted in all 57 local councils and development areas, while the Lagos States Ministry of Environment and Water Resources, Environmental Agencies of government and other friends of the environment will also be marking the day by planting trees in various locations across the state.
Mrs. Popoola, also announced that LASPARK has also adopted online competition where children between ages of four and 12 are to draw, paint and write about their own interpretation of this year theme, Trees of Life.
She further encouraged individuals and organisations to plant trees, as the agency, in partnership with the state’s Coconut Development Authority (LASCODA), has has begun distributing free trees seedlings to all representatives of the 57 LGAs and LCDAs.
She noted that the Agency aims at encouraging the planting of urban-friendly coconut trees as part of the state’s coconuts renewal initiative to maximize their economic and environmental benefits.
Marking the Lagos Tree Planting Day which holds every July 14th, Popoola stressed that tree planting is a crucial part of achieving ecosystem resilience as well as one of the state’s deliberate efforts to support United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 13 to combat climate change and its impact.
