Gareth Davis, Gleaner Writer

Two hundred native trees were planted on the Muirton Boys' Home property in Portland by a team of environmentalists and students in celebration of World Environment Day on Tuesday.

A variety of trees, including blue mahoe, cedar, fiddlewood, and lignum vitae were planted in order to prevent soil erosion, combat global warming, and restore vegetation.

Preventing land slippage

Christine Sullivan, programme coordinator of Jamaica Environment Trust (JET), said tree planting was one way of preventing land slippage and soil erosion. She pointed out that the consistent cutting down of trees would lead to serious repercussions for the environment in the long term.

"We recommend that whenever a tree is cut down one should be automatically replanted," she said. "We are hoping that this exercise will generate interest among the boys here, along with other participating students, to care, nurture and preserve these trees to their fullest."

Eighteen boys from the Muirton Boys' Home, along with studentsfrom Happy Grove, Fair Prospect High, and the nearby Manchioneal All-Age schools, took part in the tree-planting exercise amid inclement weather.

The team

The team comprised representatives from JET, the Caribbean Environment Programme, the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), and the Portland Environment Protection Association (PEPA).

Carlop Faloon, JET programmes coordinator, said the idea was to do a project in promoting environmental awareness in a parish outside of Kingston, while attempting to assist UNEP in its quest to plant a billion trees. The goal is slated as a direct response to the threat of global warming.

The trees were bought from the Forestry Department at a minimal cost, which has caused farmers to receive the initiative with open arms, a fact noted by Mashel Dunnigan of PEPA.