AN environmentally conscious youth club of Choiseul has demonstrated its appreciation for the environment by undertaking a tree-planting project along the Choiseul riverbed on Sunday.
The club, Atlas, planted a number of trees of various types along the riverbed in the community where there are lots of environmental issues.
“As time progresses, due to the action of mankind, such as the cutting of tress, the riverbed began falling apart,” Amerson Charlemagne, a trustee of the club, told this reporter in an interview.
According to Charlemagne, the club, which comprises close to 30 members and was established in 2012, embarks on positive things such as caring for the environment and uniting the youth of the community.
Charlemagne said the planting of the trees along the riverbed will go a long way in reducing the degradation of the environment.
“It will also help to uplift the environment,” he added.
According to Charlemagne, the club has been involved in several other projects over the years, one of which he identified as a solar project, which has so far benefitted seven households in the community, adding that a few more are also expected to benefit from the project.
He said the funds for the project came from a grant from Global Environmental Facility (GEF).
Charlemagne said the club has also started a purple sweet potato project, which it will continue soon.
He added that once the club is able to source additional funds, it will undertake a number of other projects in the community.
“We will continue the trend of positivity,” Charlemagne said.
He said members of the club are very excited about the tree planting project and are prepared to undertake any number of other projects.
Nerius Mitchel, a forestry officer, who supervised the tree planting, described the project as a “good initiative”.
“There are lots of environmental issues along the riverbed in Choiseul such as deforestation and landslide. The tree-planting project will go a long way in stabilising the riverbed,” Mitchel said, adding that his department did an assessment of the river.
He pointed to the other parts of the community where there are environmental issues, which also require immediate attention.