Local charity to roll out tree planting scheme in Kenya

Robin Witt (front right) signs the contract with charity patron Kevin McCloud (left) and members of OTPC

A LOCAL charity has recently become the spearhead of a tree planting campaign in Kenyan schools, in collaboration with international organisation One Tree Per Child.

Community Health and Sustainable Environment (CHASE) Africa is a charity based in Nunney which is dedicated to improving the quality of life for communities in Kenya by providing healthcare, family planning, and sustainable living advice to rural communities.

The organisation has agreed to represent One Tree Per Child (OTPC) and to promote tree planting and sustainable living in the east African country.

CHASE Africa spokesperson Robin Witt said, “I recently attended a tree planting event in Bristol, where we signed an agreement to represent OTPC in Kenya. By partnering with the charity we hope to plant at many more schools in Kenya.

“Over the last 12 years we have planted trees at 75 schools and they’ve brought a number of benefits. The children are taught to grow and care for trees, the school environments are improved, and when the trees are big enough they can be harvested on a sustainable basis.

“This year, eight schools made almost £19,000 selling wood for construction, electric poles, or firewood. It’s a good return on an initial investment of £4,000!

“Many schools use the timber grown to cook the school meals with, and growing their own timber reduces the pressure on the local forest where most wood is normally sourced.”

The event in Bristol was supported by CHASE Africa patron, Kevin McCloud – host of Channel 4’s Grand Designs and environmental campaigner.

Kevin said, “It’s really important to teach children tree planting skills from a young age to encourage an interest in nature, wildlife habitat and help reverse the global trend of mass deforestation.  We are losing tropical forest at the rate of a football pitch every two seconds.

“I’m passionate about trees, so I was particularly excited about being able to bring ‘One Tree Per Child’ and the highly respected local charities Tree Aid and CHASE Africa all together in Bristol.

“I’m a patron of CHASE Africa, who undertake serious tree-planting schemes in Africa along with Tree Aid. I think we can expect to see ‘One Tree Per Child’ spread across other countries and continents as CHASE Africa and Tree Aid lead the way with this rollout in Africa.

“We can be proud knowing that what has started in Bristol can help change the lives of children in these countries in an engaging way.”

One Tree Per Child is an environmental initiative operating out of Bristol which encourages every primary school child to plant a tree. For more information go to www.onetreeperchild.com

To find out more about the work of CHASE Africa go to www.chaseafrica.org.uk