EnviroPress wins 200 trees in Forestry Commission green challenge

By EnviroPress

EnviroPress is one of the three organisations that won tree seedlings after taking part in a tree facts challenge organised by the Forestry Commission of Zimbabwe in partnership with the African Youth Initiative on Climate Change (AYICC) on November 03, 2021.

Running by the hashtags #treesaretreasure and #treesandforests, the Trees and Forestry Fact Challenge required participants (both individuals and organisations) to post facts or knowledge on trees or work they do with trees and forests on Facebook or Twitter.

The organisations and individuals whose posts amassed the most interactions in the form of the highest number of likes up to December 03 were selected to win.

The organization which amassed the most likes were Masvingo-based Fauna and Flora Zimbabwe (FafloZim), followed by Chipinge-based Green Institute, with EnviroPress finishing at third place to win 200 tree seedlings.

EnviroPress director Moses Ziyambi, who is also editor of the organisation’s news platforms, said the prize will be used to advance EnviroPress’ community greening efforts.

“We are pleased by the support we our online followers gave us. We will make sure that every one of those seedlings is taken care of so that we contribute to the expansion of the local tree population while beautifying the environment,” said Ziyambi.

Meanwhile, City of Masvingo has offered to provide land on which the trees will be planted, as well as to work with EnviroPress to make sure that the trees are planted and taken good care of.

FafloZim and Green Institute won a massive 1000 tree seedlings each, which they said they will plant in several areas including at schools.

Individual winners were Mwana waWidzo (US$100 and 50 trees), Munya (US$50 and 30 trees) and Malvin Tafadzwa Chapfachaira (a food humper and 20 trees).

According to Forestry Commission of Zimbabwe, the purpose of the challenge was to raise awareness on the importance of tree planting and sustainable forestry management as well as to build on the COP26 momentum by expanding Zimbabwe’s carbon sinks.