The Size of Wales Mbale programme will today pass its 10 million milestone as climate change activist Leah Namugerwa and First Minister Mark Drakeford plant trees on 2 continents.
The ambitious Mbale tree planting scheme, which is funded by the Welsh Government’s Wales for Africa programme, plants trees in the heavily-deforested region of Mount Elgon region in eastern Uganda.
It is also supported by the Welsh Government’s Plant! scheme, which plants 2 trees for every child born or adopted in Wales – one in Wales and one in Uganda.
Leah Namugerwa, 15, will plant the 10 millionth tree in a special ceremony in Uganda today.
At the same time, First Minister Mark Drakeford will plant a “twin tree” in Bute Park, Cardiff. He will be joined by children from Cwmcarn Primary School’s Eco team.
As well as fighting climate change – one of the biggest issues of our time – fast-growing trees protect local people in the Mount Elgon region from the effects of soil erosion, which can cause deadly landslides.
The trees also provide local communities with fresh fruit and shelter and an important source of income.
Today’s tree planting will take place as Wales and the world celebrate the United Nations’ International Day of the Girl Child.
Leah Namugerwa is one of a new generation of young, female climate change activists, blazing a trail alongside fellow activist Greta Thunberg. Her work campaigning for tree planting and a ban on single use plastic has begun to have a significant impact across Uganda.
She will be joined by 600 children from Makunda Primary School and the members of the Sunu Women’s Group, who will be planting more trees to celebrate the project and its plans to plant 25 million trees by 2025.
“The Mbale tree planting programme has been a great success, helping the most vulnerable Ugandan communities adapt to climate change. “Tropical forests absorb nearly a fifth of all man-made CO2 emissions, making them crucial in stabilising the world’s climate. “Planting trees in Wales and Uganda is vital in helping to tackle climate change, and helps the children of Wales feel a personal connection with their environment.”
Elspeth Jones, director of Size of Wales, said:
Standing__Menacingly on September 26th, 2020 at 01:51 UTC »
I know it doesn't work this way but I always imagine workers standing around like
"Well that's number 20, do we have to stop now?"
"Yep, there were only 20 babies born today so that's all we can plant. Rules are rules."
BoldeSwoup on September 26th, 2020 at 00:51 UTC »
My previous employer was doing something similar. One tree planted for every day each employee worked.
I think the trees were planted in Indonesia, Madagascar and Cameroun. It was costing 1€ by employee by day to the company.
There was also a plan where we could use our vacations to get a travel paid by employer to the place where they plan tree and help them out, though I don't know anyone who did it.
When I left the company the big boss was boasting about 10 millions tree planted (though I think the 10M was for all the companies involved, and not just our medium sized company).
Whig_Party on September 25th, 2020 at 23:50 UTC »
Scheme made this all of a sudden sound dark, what are those trees up to?