Schoolchildren plant hundreds of trees

Some 7000 trees are expected to be planted at Ghajn Tuffieha today and tomorrow in a tree-planting weekend as part of the 3-4-U campaign.

The weekend activities started yesterday when hundreds of trees were planted by some 500 schoolchildren near the former military barracks.

The trees planted yesterday were donated by Baxter (100 trees) Systec (100) Excelsior (180) Alberta (40) and Charles Degiorgio Ltd (100).

Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino joined the children and handed out seeds of local endemic trees which the children were asked to plant at home and then to re-plant at Ghajn Tuffieha in two years’ time.

The event moved an elderly tourist couple on a stroll nearby to donate €100 for tree planting.

The 3-4-U campaign is inviting people to visit the site today and tomorrow between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m., buy and plant a tree which will then be maintained by the campaign. Each tree (costing €14) will carry the name tag of its owner. Children have been urged to take a small container with them which will then be filled with compost and the seeds.

There will be entertainment for children and food stalls.

The 3-4-U campaign has planted more than 50,000 trees over the past four years.