Regional director Yakoob Makda talks about the importance of trees

RELATED LINKS: Campaign to green Soweto blooms THOUSANDS of trees are being planted in Soweto, with residents of Dobsonville receiving fruit trees for their yards on Arbor Day. Read more Trees herald spring at Zoo Lake INDIGENOUS trees were planted at Zoo Lake to celebrate Arbor Week, bringing the total number of trees planted by the Zoo Lake Users Committee to almost a thousand. Read more Joburg's urban forest to grow ALREADY the largest manmade urban forest in the world, Johannesburg is planning to add thousands more trees to its landscape, greening the traditionally neglected townships. Read more City Parks IT may be known as the City of Gold, but with all its trees, Joburg's colour is definitely green. And keeping it lush and verdant is the job of Johannesburg City Parks. Read more Environmental planning and management TO create favourable surroundings for living, business and recreation, the City's environmental planning and management department manages air, water, land and noise pollution and implements measures to moderate pollutants. Read more

Preparing the ground: Mastura Ahmed of Equity Aviation digs a hole for the first of 1 000 trees to be planted in Alexandra for Arbor Month

Fighting global warming in Alex The first of 1 000 trees has been planted during a ceremony in Alexandra, part of a City Parks programme to beautify the township's surrounds. September 11, 2007 By Millicent Kgowedi THE heat of early spring was a hot topic of discussion as the first of 1 000 trees aimed at improving the township of Alexandra was ceremonially planted by the region's director Yakoob Makda. "It's only seven days into September and it's already so hot," Makda noted during the City Parks' event at Jukskei Park on 7 September. This, he added, was the result of global warming. A thousand trees, donated by aviation logistic services provider Equity Aviation, are to be planted in Alexandra during September – Arbor Month – as part of a campaign to beautify the township's dry and dusty surrounds and improve the lives of the local residents. A thousand trees will be planted in Alexandra during September: councillors Aaron Seboyane and Jeanette Nkoane get involved "The environment plays a significant role in our lives," Makda said during the ceremony. Ward councillors, representatives from Equity Aviation and staffers from City Parks joined the regional director to plant the indigenous tree, a common wild currant, in Jukskei Park, which is tended by City Parks. City Parks will continue with the planting trees of the remaining trees, which will be placed along London Road and in the East Bank area. Alexandra is facing a huge challenge of space, according to Mvuselelo Mathebula, the region's environmental manager for compliance and monitoring, and the trees will help change the landscape of the area. They would also increase the value of the properties, Mathebula added. The township was a dry place and the trees will change the environment and help improve the quality of the air, he added. "[Trees will also] serve as windbreakers." "We want the youth to grow, knowing about the importance of trees and fresh air," said Equity Aviation's Herman Fleischmann, talking about the company's involvement in community programmes. Some 10 500 trees are to be planted around the city as part of Arbor Month. Celebrations began on the first day of spring, 1 September. 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