National Capital District Governor Powes Parkop’s ‘One Million Trees’ campaign is gaining new grounds through extended partnerships and initiatives.
Thousands of trees have been planted in parts of the city since its launch last year.
The Active City Development Program’s Power Walk team, in collaboration with the Port Moresby Nature Park, March 17th began the NCDC ‘Trees for Life’ initiative. Governor Parkop launched this initiative along the Sivari road at Gerehu Stage 2.
Following the power walk route, more than 100 trees were planted along the Baruni road through to Port Moresby Technical College.
The ‘Trees for Life’ initiative will see various tree planting programs and events held throughout the city in the coming weeks leading up to World Environment Day 2020 on June 5.
Governor Parkop said Port Moresby Nature Park has taken responsibility for the planting initiative with the support of PNG Gardener, the Ministry of Forestry, schools, churches and business houses.
He has pledged, with encouragement from United Nations, to plant and nurture one million seedlings in the city.
Governor Parkop announced the creation of a 20-hectare demonstration forest at the Port Moresby Nature Park with tree planting and school education programs.
He added that a global NGO Cities for Forests has committed funds for the tree planting campaign.
Co-founder and director Scott Francisco said Cities4Forests is proud to have Port Moresby as its newest member, and to support and learn from the city’s reforestation work in and around the city.
“PNG has so much to offer to the world and we look forward to building partnerships between our people, forests and cities worldwide,” Francisco said.
During the World Environment Day celebration last year, Governor Parkop also launched the Eco Green Club initiative for NCD schools and the inaugural “Green Partner” for business houses and communities to engage in clean up and greening activities in the city.
(NCDC Governor Powes Parkop with the help of participants of Active City Development Program, planting a tree along the Sivari Road at Gerehu Stage 2 as part of his ‘One Million Trees’ campaign)