Environment Ministry Provides Towahun Community With Tree Seedlings For Afforestation

The Ministry of Environment and Climate Change, through the District Forestry Office in Kenema, has provided the Towahun community with assorted tree seedlings as part of efforts to promote afforestation and restore degraded catchment areas in the district.

The tree-planting exercise commenced at the Ministry’s office on Maxwell Khobe Street and brought together forestry officials, representatives of the Kenema District Council and other stakeholders.

District Forestry Officer and Senior Conservation Officer, Julius Ngegba Sama, said the seedlings were provided with support from the District Council and Central Government. He explained that Towahun was selected because it is among the degraded areas requiring urgent environmental restoration through afforestation.

Sama said the initiative is also aimed at protecting the Kamboi North catchment area, where significant portions of land have been degraded by deforestation. He noted that the intervention followed a request from the Chief of Koyagbema, Chief Bockarie Vandi Gbao, for support to enable the community to undertake tree planting and strengthen environmental protection.

He disclosed that the Forestry Office has planted between 17,000 and 18,000 trees in various communities across Kenema District over the years. The seedlings provided to Towahun include cocoa, orange and lime, among other varieties.

Sama urged beneficiaries to take ownership of the trees and work closely with forestry officials to monitor and protect the plantations. He stressed that government support is intended to empower communities to sustainably manage and protect the environment.

He also highlighted previous tree-planting interventions in schools and communities, including programmes supported by organisations such as Welthungerhilfe (WHH) and the World Food Programme (WFP).

Chief Bockarie Vandi Gbao thanked the Ministry and the District Forestry Office for supporting the community, assuring stakeholders that residents would take responsibility for monitoring, protecting and maintaining the trees for the benefit of present and future generations.

The exercise concluded with stakeholders planting trees at the site as part of the community’s afforestation efforts.

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