…As group distributes ornamental trees to Kaduna schools

From Femi Oyelola Kaduna

A Non-Governmental Organization (NGO) Centre for Water and Environment Development (CWED) as part of efforts to encourage tree planting has distributed three varieties of ornamental trees to schools in Kaduna state.
Speaking during the presentation of the tree seedlings to the schools at the premises of the NGO in Kaduna, the Program Manager CWED, Doris Zakama Shanni said, the activity which is a yearly program by the NGO is aimed at encouraging tree planting in view of its enormous advantages both to human and the society.
She said, 10 schools comprising of 8 secondary schools and 2 primary schools were invited for the collection of the trees but only few of the schools were on ground during the presentation while expressing optimism that the rest schools will also be given the opportunity to collect theirs.
Some of the schools invited she said includes LEA primary school Karji,, Government Junior Girls Secondary Schools Barnawa, Government Secondary School DOKA, Government Secondary school Ungwa Sarki, LEA primary school, Narayi among others.
She called on the schools represented to consider the possibility of having a mini orchard within their schools while stressing the need to encourage their pupils and students to plant trees within their school premises.
The ornamental trees presented to the schools are yellow bush, masquerade and satellite trees.
Earlier, the Acting Provost of the Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka Dr Amanayi Ezra who spoke on the importance of tree planting stressed that if there is going to be any meaningful replenishment of the earth, trees play very vital roles that cannot be ignored.
He said tree planting has benefits which cut across social, communal, environmental as well as economic. Some of the benefits he said, visual appeals, air quality, health and wellbeing, cost saving, managing storm water, property values, cooling effects and reduction of adverse wind speed effects.
Other benefits he stated include, combating climate change, provision of oxygen, cleaning the air, conservation of energy, prevention of pollution, provide food, healing, canopy and habitat for wide life among several others.