The massive tree planting exercise which has now become an annual event, witnessed the planting of over three hundred trees with the aim of restoring our lost forest cover and also the preservation of our environment among others.
Buba Fatty, the President of Unity Club Association, spoke at length on the significance of the tree planting exercise, saying: “Such exercise will go a long way in protecting the village from environmental degradation.”
Unity Club Association, he said, was established in 1996 at Karantaba village with the desire of embarking on community developmental initiatives among others.
“As a registered association, we are committed to not only give back to our communities in King West, but to also embark on initiatives that are for the betterment and development of our irrespective communities.”
He added: “The association initially was formed by three communities mainly from Karantaba, Mandina and Manduar. However, after registering the association, we decided to open the association for all the youth of Kiang West with the desire of ensuring that we come under one umbrella and give back to our own people.”
Fatty stated: “When the association was formed, we decided to sponsor some needy students within the area with the objective of ensuring that they achieved quality education. We didn’t only stop at sponsoring students, but equally contribute to community activities within the area.”
The UCA president added: “However, for the past three years, we decided to focus on the environment, taking into account how important trees are to our lives. We realised that many communities do embark on tree planting exercises within the area especially during the rainy season, thus that is why we are also moving towards these directions.”
Fatty acknowledged the fact that bush fire is rampant in Kiang. However, he was quick to add that such kind of exercise will not only prevent bush-fire within the area, but will equally restore the lost forest cover in Kiang, adding: “We don’t only want to protect our environment; however, we also want to beautify the area.”
The Alkalo of Kiang Kuyang, Lamin Njie, thanked the association for embarking on such an exercise, adding: “Three planting is an essential part of protecting our environment and promoting sustainability.”
Landing B. Sanneh, the Chairman of MansaKonko Area Council, said: “By planting trees, we can help to prevent soil erosion, reduce flooding, and create a healthier, more sustainable environment for ourselves and future generations.”
The importance of tree planting exercises, he went on, cannot be over emphasised, saying: “It will not only prevent our environment from degradation, but it will also help in mitigating the impact of climate change.”
Chairman Sanneh urged young people of the area and other associations to emulate UCA by always embarking on tree planting exercises in Kiang, claiming: “The region records the highest rate of bush fires. Therefore, it’s important that we come together to not only plant trees, but to also ensure that we protect our forest cover and also ensure the sustainability of the planted trees.”
