FCT
FCT ACReSAL Sustains Restoration Drive, Partners GSS Bwari on 14-Hectare Tree Planting Exercise
The FCT Agro-Climatic Resilience in Semi-Arid Landscapes (ACReSAL) Project, in collaboration with Government Secondary School (GSS) Bwari, has commenced a tree-planting exercise across 14 hectares of land within the school premises.
The exercise was led by the FCT ACReSAL Project Coordinator, Mrs. Caroline Opara, alongside project team officials, the principal and staff members, together with the students of the school.
Delivering her remarks at the flag-off, Mrs. Opara presented an overview of the ACReSAL Project, stressing that its Project Development Objectives (PDO) focus on restoring degraded landscapes across the 19 Northern States and the FCT.
"The World Bank-supported ACReSAL Project aims to increase the adoption of sustainable landscape management practices in targeted watersheds in northern Nigeria and strengthen Nigeria's long-term framework for integrated climate-resilient landscape management," Opara stated.
She further emphasized that tree planting is central to reversing land degradation, tackling desertification, and building climate resilience in the FCT. "Tree planting is not just about beautification. It is to restore our landscapes, enrich the soil, provide shade, and combat climate change," Opara noted.
Mrs. Opara also explained that the project is deliberately targeting educational institutions, citing the availability of vast land within school premises as a key advantage for large-scale restoration efforts. Underscoring the growing buy-in for ACReSAL's landscape restoration initiative she revealed that several schools and government organizations across the Territory have given the project a positive nod for the intervention.
In her remarks, the Principal of the school, Mrs. Helen Nkoli Okedo, expressed gratitude to the FCT ACReSAL Project for the intervention. She assured that the school management would sustain the initiative by engaging staff and actively supporting the school's Young Foresters' Club to nurture and maintain the planted trees.
"Planting the tree is just the first step; nurturing them is even more important. We will take ownership of this project and ensure these trees survive to create a healthy learning environment for our students," the Principal said.
The highpoint of the event was the symbolic tree planting exercise, during which FCT ACReSAL Project officials, the Principal, school management and students took turns planting trees across the designated site.
The exercise was led by the FCT ACReSAL Project Coordinator, Mrs. Caroline Opara, alongside project team officials, the principal and staff members, together with the students of the school.
Delivering her remarks at the flag-off, Mrs. Opara presented an overview of the ACReSAL Project, stressing that its Project Development Objectives (PDO) focus on restoring degraded landscapes across the 19 Northern States and the FCT.
"The World Bank-supported ACReSAL Project aims to increase the adoption of sustainable landscape management practices in targeted watersheds in northern Nigeria and strengthen Nigeria's long-term framework for integrated climate-resilient landscape management," Opara stated.
She further emphasized that tree planting is central to reversing land degradation, tackling desertification, and building climate resilience in the FCT. "Tree planting is not just about beautification. It is to restore our landscapes, enrich the soil, provide shade, and combat climate change," Opara noted.
Mrs. Opara also explained that the project is deliberately targeting educational institutions, citing the availability of vast land within school premises as a key advantage for large-scale restoration efforts. Underscoring the growing buy-in for ACReSAL's landscape restoration initiative she revealed that several schools and government organizations across the Territory have given the project a positive nod for the intervention.
In her remarks, the Principal of the school, Mrs. Helen Nkoli Okedo, expressed gratitude to the FCT ACReSAL Project for the intervention. She assured that the school management would sustain the initiative by engaging staff and actively supporting the school's Young Foresters' Club to nurture and maintain the planted trees.
"Planting the tree is just the first step; nurturing them is even more important. We will take ownership of this project and ensure these trees survive to create a healthy learning environment for our students," the Principal said.
The highpoint of the event was the symbolic tree planting exercise, during which FCT ACReSAL Project officials, the Principal, school management and students took turns planting trees across the designated site.
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