Tree planting, Tree Nursery establishment, Water Catchment Protection and Football for Nature in Muwatsu Quarter - Mile 8 Mankon in a bid to commemorate the 2018 World Day to Combat Desertification.

As early as 07:00AM you could see environmental stakeholders gently carry the trees to carefully pack them in tree baskets. While the Reforestation Task Force Team (RETAFO) packed 200 Trees at their Mile 6 Tree Nursery site, Kedjom-Keku CASUD got set with 400 Indigenous trees and seeds from the Misty Mountain Forests. Phone calls from Better World Cameroon indicated that their 100 Trees pledged were ready for delivery from their Bafut Ecovillage. At The Greens, members of team green were busy packing materials for the Water Catchment Protection and Community Tree Nursery Design, Construction and Management Trainings.
At 8:30AM, 600 Trees from RETAFO and Kedjom-Keku CASUD were ready at The Greens office to go and meet 100Trees from Better World Cameroon for tree planting at 03 Water Catchments in Muwatsu Quarter in Mankon Village of Mezam Division of the North West Region of Cameroon; in a bid to commemorate the 2018 World Day to Combat Desertification under the theme “Land has true value, invest in it!”

Mankon Fon's Palace and Sacred Forest

Transported by the Divisional Delegate of Environment, Protection of Nature and Sustainable Development for Momo, the trees and 08 environmental activists left for Mankon Fon’s palace to meet more than 20 environmental activists who were already planting 1000 Trees that were nursed by the Fon of Mankon. For more than 2 hours, we planted Grevillea rubusta and Prunus africana in the Mankon Sacred Forests.

Prior to tree planting at the Manking sacred forest, the team had an interesting discussion with the Paramount Fon of Mankon village who expressed his interest, commitment and collaboration in the conservation of the natural resources of Mankon Fondom.

Muwatsu Quarter

Quarter Head of Muwatsu Quarter

Secretary General of Muwatsu Quarter
At midday, we then left for Muwatsu park were the Quarter head of Muwatsu welcomed the team and paved way for the Regional Chief of Information, Sensitization and Documentation, Mr. Ebai Maurice to give a presentation in on the theme of the 2018 World Day to Combat Desertification.

Ebai Maurice Agbor - Regional Chief of Information, Sensitization and Documentation

The presentation of the theme paved way for the training in Water Catchment Protection. This training was facilitated by Ngalim Franklin (Mr. Green), Founder/Executive Director of The Greens and for 1 hour he interactively educated the more than 70 persons of Muwatsu Community and Muwatsu Water Management Committee on the different steps in Water Catchment Protection. His training was closed with a question and answer session that featured more than 10 persons asking questions about Water Catchment Protection and with the Community pledging to effectively protecting their water catchments.

Mr Green’s training was followed by a brief presentation about the abusive use of pesticides which was facilitated by the Chief of Post of Agriculture and Rural Development (MINADER) of Muwatsu. In his presentation, he called on the people of Muwatsu to stop the abusive use of pesticides, fungicides, herbicides, etc in their farms and most especially around water catchment areas. He called on them to switch to organic farming and emphasized on the benefits of organic farming.

Chief of Post - MINADER

Quarter Head of Muwatsu and his executive receive the tree donations from the Environmental Stakeholders

At this point, the 700 Trees, seeds, 1000 nursing bags and tree nursery materials that were jointly donated by The Greens, Kedjom-Keku CASUD, OIPA, CEPOW, MIDENO, NEPROF, RD-MINEPDED, RETAFO, HELPA Cameroon, Better World Cameroon and YOFA were officially handed over to the Quarter head of Muwatsu. The Quarter Head and his executive alongside the Water management Committee expressed their gratitude, asked for more and pledged to effectively protect the water catchments of Muwatsu.

Representative of the Fon of Mankon

Speaking after the Quarter Head of Muwatsu, was the representative of the Fon of Mankon who reiterated the importance of water catchment protection and called on the people of Muwatsu to collaborate in the protection of their water catchments. He on behalf of the Fon of Mankon thanked the team and called on them to spread their gesture to all the 75 Quarters of Mankon Fondom.

Family Picture

Muwatsu Community Tree Nursery

The team then moved from the training ground to the site for the training and construction of the Muwatsu Community Tree Nursery. There, the tree nursery was constructed and then Kemie Christopher from Kedjom-Keku CASUD (@kedjom-keku) and Mr. Green jointly facilitated the practical training in Community Tree Nursery Design, Construction and Management. At the end of the 1 hour training, seeds of Prunus africana, Mahogany and Newtonia camerunensis were nursed in the seed bed and some polythene bags.

Kemie Christopher - Vice Coordinator of Kedjom-keku CASUD facilitating the training

Yes, Muwatsu Community Tree Nursery is now established.

Kemie Christopher - Vice Coordinator of @kedjom-keku

Tree planting in Muwatsu Water Catchments

The skies burst in tears and not even the drops of rain could stop us from planting the trees in the Water Catchments. The roads were slippery but not slippery enough to stop us from going to accomplish our mission of investing in the land.

We invested 700 trees in the land, 700 Trees in the water catchments of Muwatsu. We invested trees for Water!

Football for Nature

After tree planting, the people of Muwatsu then offered everyone some local snacks comprising of boiled corn and groundnuts and some palm wine before they could get set for the “Football for Nature”
For hour, we played some really good football where the environmental stakeholders and staff of the Regional Delegation of Environment, Protection of Nature and Sustainable Development played against the people of Muwatsu Quarter. The game that was watched by more than 300 persons saw the Muwatsu boys beat the environmental stakeholders by two goals to zero. It was an exciting and rewarding game and we, the environmental stakeholders pledge to go back for a return league.

Refreshment at Muwatsu Quarter Head's Compound

At 05:00PM, we moved to the Quarter Head’s compound where we enjoyed the Muwatsu hospitality.

Delicious Achu from Muwatsu

The End Remarks

Without any doubts, we can say we effectively invested in the land. We added the value of land by planting trees. We effectively sensitized and educated the people of Muwatsu about Desertification and inspired them to champion the fight against desertification in the North West Region.

Tomorrow 21st June, we go to Chomba village for another tree planting expedition and sensitization campaign. We shall also be organizing a World Day to Combat Desertification Quiz for young people at the Regional Delegation of Environment, Protection of Nature and Sustainable Development (RD-MINEPDED) and on Friday the 22nd of June, we shall officially and under the distinguished patronage of His Excellency, the Governor of North West Region commemorate the 2018 World Day to Combat Desertification.

Stay tuned to green updates!

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