By Sheria Brathwaite
Jabari Griffith is this year’s winner of the Ministry of Environment and National Beautification National Tree Planting competition.
He won $15 000 and bragging rights having planted 1 300 trees.
Second place went to Michelle Seale, who planted 1 230 trees, and won a cash prize of $5 000 while Malicia Wharton planted 720 trees placing third and earning her a $3 000 cash prize.
More than 80 people took part in the competition.
A $2 000 cheque is also at stake for the planter who maintains the lowest mortality rate among the trees they planted. They have until March 2023 to prove they can maintain the plants’ health.
Griffith said he got help from his family and friends planting the trees on three acres of land in Christ Church. He was motivated by a need to provide food for his relatives. Among the trees planted are soursop, nutmeg and pomegranate.
Michelle Seale collecting her prize from Minister of Environment and National Beautification Adrian Forde.
During the ceremony on Monday at Walkers Institute for Regeneration Research Education and Design Inc. (WIRRED) in Walkers, St Andrew, Minister of Environment and National Beautification Adrian Forde said he was aiming to have 20 000 trees planted in next year’s competition.
He said this would greatly assist in Barbados’ goal to plant one million trees, as to date, only 420 000 trees have been planted.
He said that small island developing states like Barbados produced the least amount of carbon dioxide but were affected most by climate change. This is why it was important for the island to reduce its carbon footprint by planting more trees, creating a cleaner and environmentally safer place to live.
Forde said Government alone could not establish a greener environment. It also required buy-in from the private sector, he said. He called on business owners to step up and play a greater role in protecting the environment.
Minister of Environment and National Beautification Adrian Forde giving third place winner Malicia Wharton her prize.
“Partnership is one of the five P’s for sustainable development . . . The only way this can happen is if the private sector becomes the active component. Government can’t do it alone.”
He said businesses should take a leaf out of WIRRED’s book and pitch in.
Of the 420 000 trees planted, WIRRED planted 115 000 and is on a mission to plant more than 100 000 next year.
The minister added that the “wanton” cutting of trees across Barbados was concerning and encouraged Barbadians to contact the ministry’s Dendrologist Nigel Jones for guidance before they cut down trees.
In 2015, Barbados signed the Paris Agreement to plant one million trees starting December 2016.
Barbados and other signatories had to plant those trees within a five-year period, however, the COVID-19 pandemic created setbacks.
This is the second year of the tree-planting competition.
In 2021, the top three contestants in the competition collectively planted 429 trees.
sheriabrathwaite@barbadostoday.bb
