Mayor Amos Masondo and City Parks officials witness the signing of the memorundum of agreement by Danish ambassador Torben Brylle, Norwegean ambassador Ove Thorsheim and James Murombedzi.

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The Greening Soweto logo

By 2010 many more trees will dot the Soweto landscape

Greening Soweto gets R2,2m cash injection More than 300 000 trees will be planted in Soweto, turning the township into an urban forest. A gift from Norway, Denmark and the World Conservation Union will go some way towards reaching the target. December 7, 2006 By Ndaba Dlamini JOHANNESBURG will use the "pressure" of the 2010 Fifa Soccer World Cup to deepen the implementation of programmes like the Greening Soweto Legacy Project, an initiative aimed at rehabilitating and restoring degraded ecosystems in the township. Ambassador of Denmark, Torben Brylle, ambassador of Norway, Ove Thorsheim and International Union for the Conservation of Nature, James Murombedzi handed over a cheque of R2,2-million for the Greening of Soweto project. This was said by the mayor of Johannesburg at the hand over of a cheque of R2,2-million from the ambassadors of Norway and Denmark and the World Conservation Union. The money is to be used to buy 2010 trees. The ceremony, in Braamfontein on Wednesday, 6 December, was attended by the ambassador of Norway, Ove Thorsheim; the ambassador of Denmark, Torben Brylle; representatives of the World Conservation Union; and members of the mayoral committee. Executive Mayor Amos Masondo said Greening Soweto and the south of Johannesburg was one of the City's showcase projects. It would focus on the greening disparities in Johannesburg in the run up to the 2010 Soccer World Cup. "In the budget speech earlier this year, the council allocated an amount of R7,6-million for the Greening of Soweto initiative and more resources will be allocated as the project progresses." The Greening of Soweto, a City Parks initiative launched on 1 September in the township, is in line with the Convention on Biological Diversity, a global agreement that calls for the rehabilitation and restoration of degraded ecosystems. Masondo said the project involved planting trees to provide a natural habitat for urban bird life; improving the aesthetics of the area; developing an increased sense of community ownership and civic pride; and acting as a catalyst for economic activity, among other things. It would also be implemented in areas such as Orange Farm, Diepsloot, Ivory Park, Eldorado Park and Lenasia. By the middle of 2007, at least 30 000, 200 litre indigenous trees would have been planted, "which will make a tangible difference in the south", Masondo said. On Arbor Day this year City Parks planted a record 6 000 trees on the main arterials leading into Soweto, a move meant to restore the integrity of the environment and the dignity of the suburb. The mayor added that more than 300 000 trees would be planted in Soweto in partnership with Norway and Denmark over the next four years, turning the area into "an urban forest". In response, Thorsheim said the 2010 Soccer World Cup was a milestone event in South Africa and Johannesburg, particularly Soweto, would become a major attraction to journalists, soccer fans and other visitors. "The project launched here today is a small contribution to make the world cup a success. Norway is proud to participate in this small but hopefully well-placed project. I also sincerely hope the Norwegian national team will be here in 2010 to enjoy it." Brylle said Soweto was one of the most important places of historical and social significance in South Africa. In recent years it had become a major attraction for local and foreign tourists. "We also know that the ecology of Soweto was, however, seriously neglected during the apartheid years and the town acquired a reputation of being a dry and dusty place. The lack of trees and gravel roads has no doubt caused high levels of environmental problems with resultant negative effects on the health of Soweto residents." After the ceremony, the Norwegian, Danish and World Conservation Union delegation was taken to a site where 2010 trees will be planted in Mapetla, and on a tour of City Parks initiatives in Soweto. Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as: Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency (www.joburg.org.za)"; If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original article on this website; The name of the article's author is acknowledged; The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill in this brief online form). Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 Print this Page E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za