Journalists in tree planting exercise
Lilongwe-based members of the Association of Environmental Journalists (AEJ) at the weekend took time off their busy schedules to join the Lilongwe City Council and Lead Fellows Malawi in a tree planting exercise.
At least 2 000 tree seedlings were planted on Saturday morning along Lingadzi River banks up to a few metres away from the imposing Bingu National Stadium.
The area is heavily deforested and continues to be the home of river bank cultivation as well as brick moulding, leaving the site seriously degraded.
According to the newly-elected deputy mayor of Lilongwe Juliana Kaduya, the city continues to lose its natural beauty due to wanton cutting down of trees and environmental degradation.
“As a city, we must be vigilant in planting trees to restore the lost environmental cover once synonymous with Lilongwe. This is the only viable response to challenges like river bank’s flooding and environmental degradation, among others,” she said.
AEJ secretary general Charles Mkoka described the tree planting exercise as the group’s contribution towards a better environment.
“With the newly-constructed stadium in this stretch of the river, we thought it wise to contribute towards the rehabilitation of the area by planting suitable species of trees that will complement the surroundings of the Bingu National Stadium as well as protecting the degraded Lingadzi River bank,” he explained.
Lead SEA director professor Sosten Chiotha called on the tree planting initiatives to be extended to all parts of the country.
Members of Dubai Youth Wash Organisation were also present during the event. n
