The Chairman, Caretaker Committee, Kaura Local Government Area, Kaduna State, Dr. Katuka Bege, has warned communities in the area against indiscriminate felling of trees. in view of its dangers to the environment and their general well-being.
Bege gave the warning on Wednesday at the flag-off of the tree planting exercise of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) at the Tsonje Forest Reserve.
He said there was an urgent need and sustainable effort to protect and conserve the environment through afforestation in view of its inherent benefits to humanity.
“I commend the UNDP for the gesture and promise that the local government will support the programme to ensure it is successful in the area,” Bege said.
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Mr. Felix Miss, the Director, Agriculture and Forestry Department of Kaura Local Government, explained that the tree planting exercise was a noble idea of Kaduna State Government with the support of the UNDP.
“The exercise would further help to replace the trees harvested from the Tsonje Forest Reserve several years ago with improved tree seedlings to help improve the environment and make it more friendly and habitable,” he said.
Mr Alphonsus Ngu, a Community Leader and Representative of Agwam Takad, who spoke on behalf of the traditional rulers in the area, applauded the state government and the UNDP for the laudable initiative.
Ngu gave the commitment of the people to guard and nurture the trees to maturity.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that about 4,000 trees were brought for the first batch of the exercise out of 16,000 trees proposed to be planted in the Tsonje Forest Reserve. (NAN)