And 175 more trees were planted!
On Saturday last, ELI Africa volunteers were at the organization’s endemic forest at Plaine des Roches to participate in yet another planting event where we had the opportunity to plant 175 endemic plants with the objective of restoring our environment and promoting sustainability.
At around 09 00 we left ELI Africa office at Curepipe and set to make a difference in our environment. Though we knew that an arduous task was awaiting us at the forest, this did not curb our spirit. From hoes to spikes, manure to organic fertilizers, we were fully equipped for another memorable day in the history of ELI Africa. It was great to see how we chose to use our time effectively for a better world. Be it when we had to form a ‘chain’ to carry the plants from the store house to the forest, or when we had to plan how to plant the trees, we displayed our ability to work efficiently as a team. On that day, neither Plaine des Roches’s scorching sun nor rocky land could kill our spirit. While some were busy digging the land, others were already planting the trees. To promote sustainability, we used fruits and vegetable peels as fertilizers instead of chemicals. On that day, it was an opportunity for us to connect with nature and understand our role as people who form part of a larger community. Since its colonization by the Dutch in 1598, Mauritius has seen many of its native plants being cut down and exported to other countries to make furniture. In standard 4, we were taught this fact but we were not informed about how they were destroying our heritage.
Bois d’Olive, Bois de Judas, Bois Mapou, Colophane, Bois Puant, Bois Clou were some of the trees which we planted. Many of us planted an endemic tree for the first time and it was an opportunity for us to reflect on the importance of these plants, develop our skills to think strategically and our ability to work as a team. Though, it was a tiring day for us, when we sit back and reflect on how our action will positively impact the future, we can only feel proud of ourselves. Our campaign to conserve our endemic plants does not end here. Our ‘One Endemic Plant Per Family’ campaign is still on and if you want to join our movement, contact us.