AfricaPress-Tanzania: TANZANIA Forest Service Agency (TFS) is set to distribute 500,000 tree seedlings in Dar es Salaam Region and will closely monitor their growth as part of environment conservation initiatives.
TFS Director of Forest and Beekeeping Resource, Mr Zawadi Mbwambo said in the city yesterday that the seedlings will be provided free of charge in commemoration of the National Tree Planting Day, marked on April 1, every year.
The TFS distributed the tree seedlings to its workers as well as to a section of Dar es Salaam residents and urged them to use the ongoing rains for planting trees.
Mr Mbwambo added that tree seedlings were also provided to citizens across the country through TFS zonal offices as efforts to fight deforestation and address the impact of climate change.
According to TFS a total of 650 tree seedlings were yesterday provided to the agency’s workers and Dar es Salaam residents nearby its office while 300 seedlings were distributed to Kigamboni residents.
“We have enough seedlings to be distributed to the citizens across the country, we call upon people to visit our zonal offices so that they can be provided with tree seedlings and plant them especially during this rain season,” he said.
Mr Mbwambo noted that TFS will start making follow up on people who have been given the seedlings to ensure they take good care of the trees, noting that some were collecting seedlings but couldn’t take proper care of them.
“If all people who are given the seedlings could plant and take care of them the country could have many trees by now, that’s why now we want to track the growth of the trees.
We have taken contacts of people who have been given the seedlings so that it can be easier to track them,” he said.
One of the residents who collected tree seedlings at TFS offices, Masemba Saganda said the seedlings have been distributed at the right time since it is raining in most parts of the country.
He underscored the significance of the green campaign, saying apart from making the environment attractive trees help in the fight against the impact of climate change.
Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA), Director, Forecasting Services Dr Hamza Kabelwa said that trees were crucial in conserving the environment and attracting rain.
He called upon the citizens to use the ongoing rain for planting more trees to make the environment attractive and fight air pollution.
