Management of EPA to plant more trees in Upper West Region this year
Manwe(UWR), June 25, GNA – The Upper West Region Directorate of Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would facilitate the transplanting of 20,000 seedlings of various species of trees in schools and communities to replenish the degraded environment in the Region this year.
They would also assist 10 communities to establish protected areas of sizes between 202 and 405 hectares to promote the non-bush burning experiment and address the trend of desertification in the communities.
Mr George Hikah Benson, Upper West Regional Minister, announced this at the celebration of World Day to combat desertification and drought at Manwe in Wa East District.
He reminded people in the Region of the consequences of environmental degradation that had resulted in food insecurity and abject poverty among them.
Mr Benson said the environment should be valued but not only seen as a means to satisfy the needs of human race.
"We must realise that we should not take the environment for granted because it would not be viable tomorrow if we do not make a strong commitment to protect it today," Mr Benson said.
Mr Benson said issues such as population explosion, tree felling, sand winning, over grazing, unsustainable agricultural practices, annual wildfires and inappropriate crop management had affected the environment.
He noted that these negative practices had resulted in an almost irreversible depletion of the savannah resource base leading to the threat of desertification, crop failures, non-availability of fodder for animals and seasonal migration of the youth.
Mr Benson said with such prevailing environmental conditions, government had taken a positive measure to develop the necessary mechanisms to tackle the problem of desertification and drought by adhering to UN Convention to combat desertification and drought.
As a result, he said an integrated environmental planning and management system based on a broad based public participation was being carried out in the region to combat desertification.
Mr Benson said communities were being empowered through the formation of Community Environmental Management Committees and enactment of rules and regulations.
He said the adoption of "non bush burning experiment" by 53 communities were some of the practical measures being instituted to help reduce desertification and drought and called on opinion leaders in other communities to embrace the concept.
Mr Benson called on chiefs to collaborate with district assemblies and landowners to manage their local environmental issues by critically examining the network of customary practices, cultural and traditional institutions that would promote environmental enhancement and ensure their persistence while discouraging those that adversely affected development in their communities.
Source: GNA
