BY LESLEY FOINAGWA
ISLES MEDIA FREELANCE REPORTER IN MALAITA
WARD 28 in West Kwaio constituency, Malaita province is determined to continue with their reforestation project to replace trees in areas where logging operations have damaged.
The Mahogany tree reforestation project is backed by the Malaita provincial government through the Ministry of Agriculture and livestock.
MPA representative of Ward 28, Hon. Claudio Teifi said this is a very good opportunity to address environmental sustainability.
“It is very encouraging to see communities in ward 28 standing up to take up the reforestation project.
“Our community must be willing to work hard to replace areas where logging companies have operated on and damaged.
“Planting of the Mahogany trees is very important because if we are not careful, our land will become desert in future.
“Also the demand for trees will increase as the country’s population is increasing in the coming years,” Hon. Teifi said.
According to the ‘Global Forest Watch (GFW) an online platform that provides data and tools for monitoring forests.
“From 2001 to 2020, Solomon Islands lost 193kha of tree cover, equivalent to a 7.0% decrease in tree cover since 2000, and 150Mt of Carbon dioxide equivalent or CO2e,” the report said.
Hon. Teifi in the meantime said that “sustaining a healthy forest now will help maintain our good environment with people.”
“Sixteen thousand Mahogany trees will be distributed throughout ward 28.”
The project is focused on strengthening and protecting the role of natural ecosystem services to enhance resilience to climate change.
