IN promoting reforestation as part of conserving nature, the municipality hosted a reforestation walk and information workshop at the Paradise Valley Nature Reserve in Pinetown on Saturday, 13 June.
Its aim was to promote and support community custodianship of the reforested areas, and stewardship of the natural assets in three communities within the municipal areas such as Inanda Mountain, Paradise Valley and Buffelsdraai.
Programme manager, Khulile Mavundla, said: “The event was an environmental awareness initiative, which feeds into the community reforestation programme spearheaded by eThekwini Municipality’s Environmental Planning and Climate Protection Department as part of its climate protection objectives, which started in 2008.”
She added the programme’s vision was to protect the environment and ensure that the community understands its role and becomes ambassadors of conserving natural environment.
“This walk and information workshop informed the public about the reforestation work in Paradise Valley Nature Reserve, elaborated on the benefits of trees and forests and encouraged surrounding communities to take pride in and ownership of the reforested areas and other ecosystems in their locality,” said Mavundla.
The walk was facilitated by prominent botanical experts and guides and members of the surrounding conservancies and communities who have implemented environmental projects.
