22 Nov 2018

Economic development of a country is centred around its environment, natural resources and appropriate conservation management strategies, says deputy permanent secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources Conservation and Tourism, Mr Disikalala Gaseitsiwe. As such, Mr Gaseitsewe  has called on Batswana to plant trees as a practical and symbolic gesture of sustainable environmental management.

He was speaking during the National Tree Planting Day in Artesia on November 21.

He said forest development in Botswana was also dependent on the rich natural resources base that directly and indirectly contribute to the livelihoods of Batswana.

Mr Gaseitsiwe said forests also support the provision of environmental services including resilience to the impacts of climate change.  Mr Gaseitsiwe said climate change may alter the role of forests in regulating the water flow and in influencing the availability of water, adding that deliberate tree planting and the sustainable use of existing forests were crucial in order to reduce the effects of climate change on water supplies.

Mr Gaseitsiwe further said the theme for this year’s Tree Planting Day; Forests and Water: Sustaining Lives and Livelihoods” celebrates the ways in which forests and trees contribute to environmental sustenance.

“This year the theme aims to raise awareness of how forests and trees are key in the supply of freshwater which is essential for life,” said Mr Gaseitsiwe. The deputy permanent secretary also noted that the key message from the theme that should be upheld, was that trees and forests were a guarantee for the water supplies and were also vital in regulating rainfall and stream flow.

He further said the theme aims to underscore the importance of trees and forests to the continued existence of natural resources and their related biological diversity and how their unsuitable utilisation could threaten human livelihoods.

He said the national tree planting day also underscores Sustainable Development Goal 15, which focuses on ensuring the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services. He added that during the celebrations, the country recognises the ‘tree of the year’ by high profiling one selected indigenous tree species, which had unique ecological importance owing to their adaptation to the harsh climatic conditions.

Meanwhile, he said this year, Celtis Africana, commonly known as Modutu, was chosen as the tree of the year as it had numerous uses among them, being carving, making home furniture, firewood and building poles. 

In his welcoming remarks, Bakgatla ba Kgafela deputy chief, Kgosi Bana Sekai commended government for encouraging Batswana to plant trees as they were important in their lives.

He said trees should be taken care of as they provide shade and firewood while others were used for medicinal purposes.

Kgosi Sekai also encouraged those who had not planted trees in their homes to do so as they provide cover during the hot season. He said trees were windbreakers and residents should have them in their homes so they could reduce the strength of the wind during strong movements of the wind.

For his part, Mosomane Councillor Tshepo Kwapa said trees played a critical role in the lives of Batswana but some people were hell bent on destroying forests and cutting down trees recklessly.

Therefore, he called for stiffer penalties for those who were caught breaking the law so that others could be deterred from committing the same.

Councillor Kwapa also called on the ministry to provide resources for officers based in remote areas so that they could perform their duties without delay.ENDS