By Jones Anlimah
The Volta Region on Thursday, June 5, joined the rest of the country in commemorating the 2025 edition of the Tree for Life initiative, a nationwide afforestation campaign spearheaded by the Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources in collaboration with the Forestry Commission.
This year’s exercise, held under the theme “Restoring Degraded Lands,” saw students, heads of departments, and government officials planting seedlings across designated sites in the region. A total of 300,000 royal palm seedlings are expected to be planted across the Volta Region as part of efforts to combat climate change and restore ecological balance.
The Volta Regional Coordinating Director, Mr. Augustus Awity, emphasised the need for collective environmental responsibility and described the initiative as more than just an annual event.
“This initiative is not an event; it is a lifestyle, a commitment, and a partnership between people and the planet,” he said. “As we plant, let us also protect. As we celebrate, let us also reflect.”
Mr. Awity urged stakeholders, particularly students and educators, to view the exercise as a long-term investment in environmental stewardship.
“To our students and educators: you are the future we are planning for. May this be more than a basic activity. May it be seen as a lifelong parameter of stewardship,” he added.
The Volta Regional Manager of the Forestry Commission, Mr. Haward Manson, called for introspection and a deeper understanding of the spiritual and physical significance of forest protection.
“It is not just a forest. It is life. And through our own activities, these forests have dwindled and disintegrated.”
He stressed the importance of recognising human responsibility in environmental degradation and encouraged participants to rise above apathy and take action.
“This programme should also accommodate the community. The community should acknowledge the importance of life, and it will be very nice to build on this message.”
The Tree for Life initiative aims to plant 30 million tree seedlings nationwide this year. It brings together communities, NGOs, educational institutions, and government bodies in a shared mission to combat the effects of climate change and contribute to global reforestation efforts.
As part of the Volta Region’s commitment to the campaign, several planting exercises were carried out at school compounds, government department premises, and selected degraded lands in both urban and rural areas.
Forestry Commission officials have called on residents to nurture the seedlings to maturity and protect newly planted areas from encroachment, fire, and improper land use.
The Tree for Life initiative continues to grow in significance as Ghana intensifies its environmental resilience efforts in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 13: Climate Action and Goal 15: Life on Land.
