Glenmuir High campus to see fruitful transformation through trees
Published:Friday | November 17, 2023 | 12:06 AMOlivia Brown/Gleaner Writer
A SIGNAL of hope and sustainability was how principal of Glenmuir High School in Clarendon, Dr Marsha Smalling, described a recent donation of some 100 ornamental, and 50 fruit trees that will transform the school’s campus into a vibrant and fruitful green area. An additional 131 fruit trees were donated to staff members.
The donation was made by the National Health Fund (NHF) in commemorating the entity’s 20th anniversary. The NHF said it intends to donate some 20,000 trees across Jamaica this year.
A National Tree Planting Initiative, launched by Prime Minister Andrew Holness in 2019, aimed to plant three million trees in three years. The initiative was geared towards mitigating the effects of climate change, and dubbed as a representation of a tree being planted for every Jamaican. According to the Forestry Department, some 2.7 million trees have been planted under the initiative.
The tree-planting ceremony took place at Glenmuir High on November 1. The October-celebrated ‘Plant a Tree’ day was staged this year under the theme ‘Keep the Heat Away, Plant a Tree Today’.
Glenmuir principal Dr Marsha Smalling said, “Lucy Larcom said, ‘He who plants a tree, plants a hope,’ and this morning, we can all say that the NHF has given us that level of hope. The act of planting a tree is not merely an act of beautification, but also a symbol of hope, growth and sustainability.
“These trees, including otaheite apple, custard apple, java plum, sea grapes and sea tamarind, will not only beautify our surroundings, but also provide us with fresh and nutritious fruits in the years to come.”
Smalling lauded the NHF, stating that the school was grateful for the entity’s “unwavering commitment and hard work in nurturing the minds of our students, and maintaining a safe and conducive learning environment”.
The principal added that the trees were stark reminders of the responsibility entrusted upon stakeholders, and Jamaicans at large, to care for the environment, and promote a healthier future.
Janeice Corniffe-Williams, faculty adviser for the school’s environmental club, said the initiative was a display of the school’s commitment to environmental stewardship, and “a small, but significant step towards a sustainable future”.
“The act of tree planting may seem simple, but its impact is profound. Each tree we plant today is a gift to future generations – a symbol of hope for a greener and healthier world. Together, we can make a difference, one tree at a time,” added Corniffe-Williams.
Citing climatic changes, NHF’s director of health promotion, public relations and customer care, Shermaine Robotham, said, “The planting of trees is one of the important things we thought we would do for our 20th anniversary, because, of course, it’s part of our corporate social responsibility. We all know of the impact of climate change. This past summer was very hot. The planting of trees is certainly one way that we can contribute to lowering the temperature, and no better place to lower the temperature than at a school, because when you’re hot in a classroom, it’s kind of miserable to learn.”
Robotham announced that plans were under way to donate trees to students to plant around their homes.