Malaita schools benefit from reforestation programme

BY GEORGE MANFORD

AUKI

THE forestry department office in Auki has introduced a school reforestation programme for five secondary schools in Malaita.

This is the connection programme from the forestry office in Auki with schools in Malaita in tree planting.

Officer in charge reforestation department in Auki Mr Ronny Aiwewe said the program started in 2016.

Two female students from Gwaidigale secondary school doing the tree planting process.

“We made awareness programmes for eight schools and now we engage the first five schools to undergo tree planting process.

“During our awareness programmes we provide knowledge and skills and teach them how to plant trees.

“Our school students must need to know the work of forestry department in the country regarding reforestation.

The main concept of these programmes with schools is at the moment we have a high demand to our local forest in terms of Logging and gardening.

Students from Arabala school enjoying planting their hybrid Mohagany tree.

“Logging is one of the key factors that destroy our local forest where in the near future we will be having no forest in our lands.

“The office of forestry department and the national government see this issue and try to adopt the tree planting programmes back in our communities and rural areas.

“At the moment we introduced three major spice raised nursery, Teak (Techona grandis), Mahogany / swim ( Switenia Macrophylla) and Eucalyptus Deglupta.

“Those species are rare in our country and we take them into our country from other countries, Mr Aiwewe said.

Students from Gwaigeo preparing the sites for tree planting.

“These species however we see them as medium term trees which are suitable for timbers that have a short period of time for harvesting.

“At the moment some of the schools we have selected for this program are currently doing their tree planting process within their school boundary.

“The forestry department is looking forward to work closely with the schools and the communities to regain our forests that have been spoilt by activities such as logging.”

The five schools undergo this programme are Dala, Gwaigeo, Gwaidingale, Maoro and Arabala secondary schools.

A forestry officer in Auki preparing trees for the school reforestation programme for schools in Malaita
A student from Dala standing beside her newly planted tree.
A student from Maoro planting the trees provided by the forestry office in Auki.

Discover more from Theislandsun

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading