By Amin Kef Sesay
Very recently, what was announced as the discovery of a magnificent waterfall at Mambo in the Western Rural District was made, that drew the nation’s attention to how much is pristine and beautiful that this country has to offer to tourists. What immediately came to mind was would this national asset be protected from deforestation and other forms of human damage by the Government and the community?
Very disheartening that this week, monitoring the news, report was heard from a Government official responsible for protecting the environment that, in fact, close to this natural beauty, somebody, using our traditional slash and burn shifting cultivation form of farming that is very destructive to the environment had a farm close to the waterfall. It immediately reminded me of how human beings have naively, over the years removed all the forest cover from the Guma Valley dam area; thereby drastically reducing conservation of water in the dam during the dry season.
Trees and human beings live as one. Without trees, human beings will eventually end up living in arid conditions. Such conditions are characterized by water and food shortage.
Trees are an essential part of our existence; or else God would not have created them. They help mitigate the effects of rising temperatures, air pollution and climate change.
In which light, the President’s laudable initiative of planting five million trees across the country in the next four years must be highly targeted and localized in order to improve the health and well-being of our rapidly disappearing forest covers.
Trees are vital to our existence because they and other green vegetation are responsible for naturally cooling the air.
They also provide habitat for wildlife, reduce storm-water runoff and sequester carbon from the atmosphere which helps to mitigate climate change.
Where tree planting as a climate change reduction strategy really stands out is its ability to address both urban heat and air pollution.
Thus, planting trees, particularly in large urban and rural communities should be viewed as a low-cost solution that can lead to a reduction in greenhouse gas emissions as well as improved health levels of societies.
The calming effect of nearby trees and urban greening can significantly reduce workplace stress levels and fatigue, calm traffic, and even decrease the recovery time needed after surgery.
There is also a growing body of research showing that people living in communities where there are a lot of tress trees and other vegetation enjoy mental health, especially children. All of these benefits speak to the wisdom of greater investment in trees and urban green infrastructure such as parks and rain gardens.
Trees intercept water, store some of it and reduce storm water runoff. Air quality is improved through the use of trees, shrubs and turf. Leaves filter the air we breathe by removing dust and other particles. Rain then washes the pollutants to the ground. Leaves absorb the green-house gas carbon dioxide during photosynthesis and store carbon as growth. Leaves also absorb other air pollutants – such as ozone, carbon monoxide, and sulfur dioxide – and release oxygen.
Aesthetically, by planting trees and shrubs around our dwellings, we return developed areas to a more natural environment that is attractive to birds and wildlife; thereby restoring the ecological cycles of plant growth, reproduction, and decomposition both above and below ground.
Thus, more need to be done by us individuals, communities, councils and government to not only ensure that we protect trees but also plant more to replace those lost in order to protect our environment from future degradation.
