World Environment Day (WED) is highly celebrated annually all over the world. This year’s theme is Global Day for Positive Environment Action. It is commemorated on 5 June of each year, and has been since 1972.

According to the media report by UN, the World Environmental Day (WED) is one of the principal vehicles through which the UN stimulates worldwide awareness of the environment, and encourages political attention and action. “WED 2010 calls for people to take local action – by organising a neighbourhood clean-up, stopping the use of plastic bags and getting the community to do the same, planting a tree or organising a collective tree planting effort, walking to work, starting a recycling drive...the possibilities are endless,” according to the UN media report.    
 
Food & Trees for Africa (FTFA) are pioneers of environmental awareness and greening programmes in South Africa. For the last 20 years with the help of different sponsors, FTFA has managed to sustain its greening programmes.

For this year’s World Environmental Week, FTFA and Audi will spend time with the residents of Olievenhoutbosch community. These two partners are no strangers to the community of Olievenhoutbosch. 2800 trees have been planted since March 2010. FTFA has been working from one extension to another distributing indigenous and fruit trees.

The residents always appreciate the good work by FTFA and Audi for targeting their community when celebrating the environment related days. “Come 2020, Olievehoutbosch will be the ‘Eden’ of South Africa. Your efforts are not taken for granted,” said Gogo Polina who is a Community Based Educator for FTFA. Her work is to monitor and to evaluate the growth of trees.

During World Environment Week, 1000 trees will be distributed to the community of Olievenhoutbosch. The first 500 trees will be distributed on 2 June at Extension 23 Park, and another 500 trees will be distributed at an Open Space in Extension 36. For more information or to attend these events, please contact Joanne Rolt on 011 656 9802/3 or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .