Konica Minolta South Africa Contributes 4 500 Trees to the Creation Of Urban Forests

Art Post (Guest)

Source:	Food and Trees for Africa
Source Date:	Tuesday, February 15, 2011
Focus:	Metrics and Stats, International Organization
Country:	South Africa
Created:	Feb 15, 2011

“Through the distribution of these trees to homeowners around the country we are contributing to improved properties for the residents in dusty settlements and also spreading awareness about climate change and environmental issues,” says Konica Minolta South Africa’s MD, Alan Griffith. “As part of our Corporate Social Investment initiative, we have committed to this FTFA programme in an effort to offset our carbon emissions and one of the best ways to do this is by planting trees. In addition to absorbing carbon dioxide, one of the most important green house gases, these trees provide many other environmental and social benefits such as preventing water runoff and erosion, settling the dust, providing shade and shelter, lessening noise and beautifying neighbourhoods,” says Griffith. Through Konica Minolta 90 residents of the beneficiary communities will receive training and stipends as community based educators. They will go door to door to spread awareness climate change and the need for greening, and will provide report backs on the trees over a period of one year. These trees will also be registered with the United Nations Billion Tree programme, which has already recorded 10 billion trees, more than one per person on the planet. The distribution of the Konica Minolta Trees for Homes in the Eastern Cape will take place on 18 February in Mdantsane, East London and 24 February in Zwide, Port Elizabeth. Mdantsane is one of the outlying townships under the Buffalo City banner. It was named and created in 1961 and has subsequently grown to become the second biggest township in South Africa, after Soweto in Johannesburg. The township is named after a river that runs between Mtsotso Railway Station in NU1 and Greeniker in NU2. Zwide is a little known township area tucked between KwaZekhele, iBhayi and Soweto on Sea. Those who are employed have access to adequate transport taking them to the P.E. city centre and Uitenhage, for those at home, it seems that fruit production, nursery creation and tree care could be on the cards. “The skills the community based educators gain through this programme, the contacts they make through the door-to-door process and the potential for fruit production and distribution is something Zwide residents can really grow from,” says Trees for Homes programme manager, Joanne Lee Rolt. The final 900 trees will be planted in Newcastle on the 25 March in celebration of National Water Week 2011. Food & Trees for Africa FTFA is South Africa’s national social enterprise that started in 1990 to address sustainable development through greening, climate change action, sustainable natural resource management and food security programmes. FTFA has distributed almost 4 million trees, facilitated over 2 500 organic food gardens for the poorest in South Africa and launched the first carbon calculator and the Carbon Protocol in this country. FTFA’s objectives are: • to contribute to greening, climate change action, sustainable natural resource management and food security; • to create awareness of the benefits of environmental improvement activities amongst all communities of southern Africa; • to contribute to poverty alleviation, sustainable development, enhanced environments, capacity building and skills development Working in partnership, and with the support, endorsement and cooperation of government, the private and public sectors and civil society to achieve these aims, FTFA implements five programmes, namely: Trees for Homes, Trees for All and Bamboo for Africa (that are registered under the Carbon Protocol), Food Gardens for Africa, and EduPlant, each with various projects. Many companies, government departments, aid agencies, organisations, media and individuals now contribute to FTFA, supporting programmes or projects that are leading to healthier lives of impoverished communities, more sustainable green environments and increased awareness of our impact on the planet and the need to address this. For a complete list of FTFA’s development partners, board members, patrons, employees and projects, as well as financial statements.