The Concerned Citizens of Atewa Landscape (CCAL) has intensified efforts to restore degraded landscapes and promote environmental conservation with a tree-planting exercise at Potroase in the Eastern Region.
The exercise brought together school pupils, community representatives and environmental stakeholders to plant seedlings and encourage local participation in protecting the environment.
The initiative forms part of a broader revegetation project aimed at restoring degraded areas, protecting biodiversity and promoting a culture of environmental responsibility among communities within the Atewa landscape.
A key feature of the exercise was the participation of school pupils, whose involvement CCAL considers essential to building environmental awareness and nurturing the next generation of conservation leaders.
As part of the project, Revegetation Clubs will be established in schools across participating communities to educate and empower pupils on the importance of trees, biodiversity conservation, watershed protection and sustainable natural resource management.
Through the clubs, pupils will be encouraged to take practical steps towards environmental protection and serve as environmental ambassadors in their schools, homes and communities.
Traditional leaders and community members have also been identified as key partners in ensuring the success of the initiative.
Speaking on behalf of the chief, the chief linguist assured participants of the community’s commitment to protecting the newly planted seedlings. He emphasised that the community would take the necessary steps to ensure the seedlings survived and grew.
The commitment, according to CCAL, highlights the importance of community ownership in achieving sustainable environmental restoration.
While planting trees is an important first step, the long-term success of the project will depend on the proper maintenance and protection of the seedlings to ensure their survival.
The Potroase exercise forms part of a wider revegetation initiative targeting 53 communities. The project seeks to establish a coordinated, community-led approach to landscape restoration by combining tree planting with environmental education, youth participation and local stewardship.
The initiative is sponsored by the European Union through A Rocha Ghana under the BRACE initiative, which stands for Building Resilient and Active Communities in Extractive Landscapes.
CCAL maintains that restoring the Atewa landscape requires more than planting trees, stressing the need for sustained community participation, strong traditional leadership, environmental education and a collective commitment to protecting natural resources for present and future generations.
As the initiative expands to the remaining target communities, CCAL says it will continue working with schools, traditional authorities, community members and other stakeholders to promote environmental conservation and build a generation committed to protecting nature.
The organisation says the initiative reflects its commitment to a greener and more sustainable future through community participation and environmental stewardship.
“Together for a Greener Tomorrow!”
Concerned Citizens of Atewa Landscape (CCAL)
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com/Nhyiraba Solomon Nartey
