Tree Day Celebrations Empower Communities to Plant Trees

The Institut Congolais pour la Conservation de la Nature (ICCN) and Okapi Conservation Project celebrated World Tree Day on October 24 in six towns and villages around the Okapi Wildlife Reserve. The goal was to raise awareness about the importance of trees and involve the local community in reforestation efforts.

The celebrations took place at schools and churches, allowing organizers to engage youth and community members. Each extension selected a pilot site, including the CECA 16 church in Wamba and the International Secondary School in Mambasa. Students helped prepare the sites in advance by cleaning, marking, and digging holes.

On the day of the event, local authorities and service heads attended the ceremonies. OCP agronomes and educators explained the role of trees, then distributed seedlings for planting. The OCP team provided technical guidance, and after the planting, students received small gifts and adults were served refreshments.

In total, the celebrations resulted in 5,638 trees being planted by over 2,360 people.

Overall, the celebrations helped raise awareness about the importance of trees and engaged the local community in reforestation efforts around the Okapi Wildlife Reserve. The organizers recommended continuing these annual events to further promote sustainable forest management.