BY SIMON NDIVE KALLA
Friends of the Limbe Botanic Garden have launched the maiden edition of tree planting exercise and conservation education. The launching exercise took place recently in Mokunda Village in Limbe II Subdivision.
Speaking during the event, the representative of the Limbe City Mayor, Chief of Cabinet, Lyombe Lesly said it was an honor for him to launch the conservation and tree planting program in Seconday schools within theLimbe Municipality.
He applauded the initiative of Friends of Limbe Botanic Garden in Limbe, Cameroon and diaspora for the initiative. He emphasised that LCC fully endorsed the vision and will continue to support them.
Lyombe opined that the campaign is to create awareness and empower students, the youths of City in the domain of biodiversity conversation and environment protection.
“Limbe City Council is joining the government of Cameroon to enhance the conversation of nature and protection of the environment, the City of Limbe is privileged to have the Botanic Garden located at the epic center of the City.” Lyombe Lesly said.
He stressed that the endeavor masterminded by the friends of the Limbe Botanic Garden should be embraced by everyone in the municipality. While urging all the actors of the municipality to join the Friends of the Garden to push forward their vision.
“This should stimulate everyone to join the bandwagon to fight global warming and climate change that have negative impact on our agriculture and ecosystem services on which our economic depends on”. Lyombe added.
On his part, the Chairman of Friends of the Limbe Botnic Garden Dr. Mbome Njie said FOG are a group of nature lovers and people interested in conservation and who have an interest in reviving the Limbe Botanic Garden that has a mandate to carry out ex-situ conservation of Flora diversity and its display. The Garden also enhances ecotourism and recreation.
He added that they envisaged five schools to plant trees in their school campus, Saker Baptist School, GBTHS, NCHS, GBHS and GHS.
FoG is a Local Support Organization to the LBG which is a biodiversity conservation site that showcases multiple species of trees, flowers and herbs that are important to man and nature. Friends are focused on actively contribute and participate in carrying out Conservation and Environmental Education in and around Limbe.
“Our environment consists of all living beings as well as their surroundings. A healthy environment is one that is sustainable for a long period of time. It is the source of life for everyone and contributes to proper growth and development,”
“Our need for food, water, shelter, and security depends on the environment around us and the good or bad quality of our life depends on the quality of our natural environment“,
“There must be a balanced natural cycle that exists between the environment and the lives of human beings, plants, and animals. But unfortunately, we human beings are not giving the environment the care that it deserves,”
“With the increase in urbanization, industrialisation, and traffic congestion, pollution is on the increase and environment degradation has become a topic of concern today.” Dr. Mbome Njie lamented.
He added that another problem is the improper use and exploitation of natural resources (we are actually experiencing abusive deforestation) with consequences felt through global warming. Intense human activities have resulted in biodiversity loss which will negatively affect food chain.
”The harmful effects of human
activity on the environment must be controlled. The FoG are resolute in contributing ideas and promoting activities that will enhance collective responsibility and actions needed to sustain a healthy environment”,
“We believe that in order to tackle these problems, the first step is to have knowledge about the problems. This therefore makes environmental education a must”,
“We are here today to create awareness through conservation education with the conviction that when conservation education links academic demands to the study of natural and social systems and their interactions, the winners include students, teachers, administrators, and the environment.” Dr. Mbome Njie stated.
Quizzed why engaging students for the program, he said they are tomorrow's leaders who will be taking all the important decisions regarding social issues, the economy, the environment, politics, law etc.
“Good foundation today will ensure great leaders in the future who will make decisions for a sustainable environment. Ladies and gentlemen, we also want to give attention to the problem of deforestation and climate change.
“In Limbe today we can observe that the very rapidly increasing human population is causing abusive cutting down of forests and trees. It may be for construction, for energy or for farm land, but we are causing great loss to the environment and temperatures are on the rise.” Mbome Njie emphasised.
It should be noted the most practical solution to these challenges is to engage in tree planting. Trees give off oxygen that we need to breathe. Trees reduce temperatures to combat climate change, provide shade, purify the air and serve as nature's best air conditioners.
Njie explained that trees provide habitat for different species of wildlife and provide food, protection, and homes for many birds and mammals. “Our outing here today will be marked by a practical tree planting exercise.“ Njie added.
He appreciated financial support encouragement from FoG group in UK, Conservator of the Limbe Botanic Garden, the management of the Program for the Sustainable Management of Natural Resources/ the Integrated Conservation Education Centre for their support, Limbe City Mayor, Divisional Delegate of Seconday Education Fako among others.
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The right move in a world suffering natural depletion of forests by man.