The Society for the Promotion of People`s Right, an NGO, says it plans to distribute seedlings and plant more than 300 trees in some communities in the FCT.
Mr Williams Osaze, National President of the organisation, made this kinown in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), in Abuja, on Wednesday.
Osaze said the project, scheduled to begin by end of May, was aimed at curbing desertification and other environmental challenges.
He said: “We are planning to visit about three area councils in the FCT, such as Bwari, Kuje and Gwagwalada.
“We want to ensure that trees are planted and those seedlings are used efficiently in the areas. We will visit the area councils’ chairmen and the community heads to inform them of our plan.
“Without a doubt, the effects of climate change have led to adverse weather conditions. One of the many reasons include the fact that mankind fell trees in multiples but fail to replace any.
“Because trees use up carbon dioxide and give us oxygen, the felling of trees without replacement leaves more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere which causes ozone depletion.
“Nowadays, environmental issues are receiving attention at global levels, and the global communities are continuously making efforts towards ensuring that the world is a better place for human habitation.”
The environmentalist said that the plan was to ameliorate the continuous threat of climate change challenges, which included global warming, greenhouse gas emission, flooding, desertification, erosion, pollution, among others.
He stressed that planting trees was one of the easiest ways to reclaiming grounds from desertification.
According to him, a healthy environment ensures healthy living, and that apart from the aesthetic value of trees, the health and environmental benefits of trees are innumerable.
He said that planting of trees could generate paid employment opportunities for horticulturists, pruners, gardeners, welders, tanker drivers, security personnel, down to the water boy, all of whom were helping to keep trees alive.
Osaze said as part of efforts to proffer solutions to these challenges, the organisation had established several environmental clubs in FCT schools.
He noted that if students and residents of communities around schools were drilled on proper environmental knowledge and practices, it would be easy to achieve and sustain the set goals.
He said that the organisation also planned to extend the project to other states, and urged Nigerians to make a habit of planting trees, and to ensure that when a single tree was cut down, three trees should be planted in its stead.
