Deputy Minister Maggie Sotyu to lead the International Day of Forests Seminar and tree planting activity at the Harold Porter Botanical Gardens in Betty's Bay
The Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Maggie Sotyu, will lead the International Day of Forests (IDF) seminar at the Harold Porter Botanical Gardens in Betty's Bay, Overstrand Municipality, in the Western Cape on 23 March 2023. The Botanic Garden in Overstrand Local Municipality is viewed as one of the places with an array of medicinal plants from the Cape floral plants family.
The International Day of Forests was established by a resolution of the United Nations General Assembly in 2012. This year, members of the Collaborative Partnership on Forests (CPF) will celebrate IDF 2023 under the theme Forests and Health. The IDF 2023 seeks to highlight critical issues that include the sustainable use of medicinal plants, which play a significant role in communities' health and socio-economic revitalization.
To prioritize both the issues of Human Rights and Forestry, SA will be celebrating the IDF on Friday 24 March 2023. The actual date for the IDF is 21 March. However, this is a special holiday in South Africa, i.e., Human Rights Day.
Members of the media are invited to attend the event as per the details below:
Date: 24 March 2023
Time: 9h00
Venue: Harold Porter National Botanical Gardens
IFD Presentations and Discussion:
- Dr Babagana Ahmadu - Country Representative Food and Agriculture Organization. (FAO)
- Forests and Health and Vitality by Professor Brenda Wingfield - Forestry and Agricultural Biotechnology Institute (FABI)
- Agroforestry Adaptation and Practice for Food Security by Dr Phokele Maponya - Agricultural Research Council (ARC)
- Effects of Polyphagous Shot Hole Borer (PSHB): The challenge of communicating a solution to a complex invasion by Dr Trudy Paap - FABI
- Role of Forestry in Climate Change by Mr Sibonelo Mbanjwa - DFFE
- Role of Private Institutions in Greening (Forestry) by Mr Jacques Cedras – President of the Institution of Environment and Recreation Management (IERM), and Ms Lynn January (IERM)
- Keynote address by Deputy Minister of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries, Hon Ms Maggie Sotyu
Date: 24 March 2023
Time: 13h30
Venue: Harold Porter National Botanical Gardens
Ceremonial Tree Planting and Unveiling of Remembrance Plaque.
Tour of Harold Porter Botanical - Themed Medicinal Garden
To RSVP Contact:
Paul Sigutya
Cell: 072 921 447
Media enquiries:
Albi Modise
Cell: 083 490 2871
