The Premier of the Free State, Mr Ace Magashule
Members of the Executive Council present
The Executive Mayor of the Mangaung Local Municipality, Mr Playfair Morule
The Executive Mayor of Motheo District Municipality, Ms Eva Moiloa
Members of the Mayoral Committee
The Chief Executive Officer of Total South Africa
Representatives of the Bloemfontein Celtics Football Club
Councillors
Ladies and gentlemen
It gives me great pleasure to join the community of Mangaung in celebrating Arbor Week. This morning we have been busy planting trees at a number of spots in the township. The trees we have planted are only symbolic of the greening projects that have been initiated. The trees also symbolise the commitment by the province to continue with Operation Hlasela. Through this operation we need to renew our townships and bring back dignity to our residential settlements. In this way we will be creating sustainable human settlements which can only help to breed dignified and self reliant communities.
Since its beginning in 1983 when it was known and celebrated as Arbor Day, Arbor Week has found a permanent niche in our events calendar. Arbor week is celebrated each year in the beginning of September to focus our attention on the importance and value of trees in our daily lives and to raise awareness about the need to plant and protect existing trees. The spirit on display today in Mangaung seems to exemplify the foundational purpose of our celebration of National Arbor Week.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am sure that it was this same spirit that was the motivational force behind the work of J Sterling Morton of Nebraska in the United States, who proposed in 1872 that a public holiday called Arbor Day be celebrated by the State of Nebraska. In 1874, Arbor Day was celebrated for the first time in State, and today, I am happy to join the community of Mangaung as we celebrate the launch of Arbor Week. It is encouraging to learn that there has been a greening initiative in this area, which is a partnership among various role players including government, non-government organisations and the corporate sector.
The launch of the community park in Phahameng today should be seen as the beginning and not an end. Let this launch signify a bigger initiative of greening Mangaung and the Free State Province at large. Besides National Arbor Week the Department implements a national greening strategy. The key focus of the strategy is to support Municipalities, Non-Government Organisations (NGOs), Community Based Organisations and other role-players to implement greening interventions. This is dome amongst others through the provision of guidelines to develop and implement greening plans at the local level.
Mr MC, ladies and gentlemen, let us see the launch of the park as an opportunity to grow what has been started. Let this excellent example of co-operation by various role-players be taken as the start, and be replicated elsewhere. I would like to make a special appeal that the park should be well maintained and cared for by both the users and providers of services, in this case the Municipality of Mangaung
I have indicated that besides Arbor Week the Department implements the national greening strategy. In the year 2007 the Million Trees Programme was launched, and through this programme we would like to plant at least a million trees annually. The trees planted would be mostly fruits and the rest ornamental shade trees. This programme is meant to be a partnership which includes government, non-governmental organisations (NGOs), and community based organisations (CBOs), corporate sector and communities at large. We are also implementing the programme in line with the United Nations Plant for the Planet Programme also known as the Billion Trees Campaign. I am glad to announce that our efforts in contributing towards this international greening programme are already being recognised.
It is envisaged that through the programme the following issues will be addressed:
* Mitigation of the adverse effects of climate change. Trees sequestrate carbon and gives off oxygen.
* Purification of the air in localities. Trees trap dust and other pollutant particles thereby contributing to air purification.
* Beautification and creation of an aesthetically pleasing environment through greenery and promotion of biodiversity in urban areas.
* Promotion of eco-tourism especially with the coming 2010 World Cup Soccer Tournament (We are pleased to be celebrating National Arbor Week with the Bloemfontein Celtics Foot Ball Club within our midst).
* Contribution to food security through the planting of fruit trees and establishment of small orchards where feasible.
Mr MC, ladies and gentlemen I am pleased to announce that over the past two years we have been able to exceed the set target for the Million Trees Programme. In 2007 an estimated 1,7 million trees were planted and last year 1.8 million trees were planted through this programme. This could not be possible without the involvement of municipalities, provincial government departments, non-government organisations, community based organisations and the corporate sector.
The department would like to particularly mention the involvement of Total South Africa. Total has been the corporate sponsor for National Arbor Week. When the Million Trees Programme was launched, Total came on board without any hesitation and is currently supporting greening through this initiative. We would like to say thank you very much for your involvement and sponsorship all these years. We hope we can do more together.
This year's theme for Arbor Week is "Plant trees - Save our Planet". The theme talks to issues of global climate change and saving our environment. The theme speaks to me and you and calls everyone to action in saving our planet earth. Today each an every one of us should be saying what is my involvement in improving and conserving my environment. We do not have to wait for government, but we need to be activists even on issues of the environment and showing concern and caring attitude of our environment.
When the Million Trees Programme was launched in Ga-Rankuwa in the year 2007, about 2 400 trees were planted in a low-income cost housing area referred to as extension 12. We are pleased to announce that the majority of those trees are still surviving. It is only a few mortalities that have been recorded. That is as a result of all the three tiers of government working together, the involvement of community based organisations and of most importance the cooperation and positive attitude of the recipients of services who are the community of Ga-Rankuwa. Those trees will grow to give the many benefits that we can derive by greening our localities.
It is encouraging to see our national soccer teams making a contribution to issues of the environment. We are very humbled but happy to be with the Bloemfontein Celtics Football Club who participated in tree planting events earlier on. We believe through this spirit we will ensure that our host cities are ready to welcome visitors who are coming for the 2010 World Cup tournament.
Ladies and gentlemen I would like to thank Mangaung Local Municipality for hosting this important event in partnership with my department. I would like to also thank the Municipality for their efforts in extending greening to previously disadvantaged areas, in particular townships such as Rocklands and Phahameng. I would like to thank the organisers of this event including the participation of the province, community based organisations, NGOs and the community of Mangaung.
It is encouraging to see our national soccer teams making a contribution to issues of the environment. We are very humbled but happy to be with the Bloemfontein Celtics Football Club who participated in tree planting events earlier on. We believe through this spirit we will ensure that our host cities are ready to welcome visitors who are coming for the 2010 World Cup tournament.
Lastly, but not least I would like to thank the officials of the department who organised this event.
Thank you.
Issued by: Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries
1 September 2009
Source: Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (http://www.daff.gov.za)
