Today is International Day for Biological Diversity and to celebrate
millions of trees were planted around the world. It is called the Green Wave
– an initiative carried out under the theme, “one school, one tree,
one gift to nature.” In Belize 5,000 trees were planted. 2,000 of them
by the Audubon Society and 50 of those were planted in Belize City at the Memorial
Park by students from the standard 5 class at St. Mary’s Primary School.
The Audubon’s Executive Director Anna Hoare told us they chose Mayflower
because it’s native to Belize City.
Anna Hoare, Exec. Dir., Belize Audubon Society
“In the case of Belize City today we are planting 50 trees here at
Memorial and it consists of Mayflower trees. As you know that is a native tree.
In other places like Maya Mopan and Maya Center, Roaring Creek, and Armenia
we are planting Mahogany trees as well as other native trees. And as you know
trees are pat of diversity. They may not look like biodiversity because we normally 
think of animal forms as biodiversity. Indeed they are and so they have very
important functions. So today we have St. Mary’s presenting 50 gifts to
nature because they are planting 50 trees.
The importance that we hope the students will get is that they will recognize
that trees are important and by them planting that tree and also being part
of the initiative, because this information will be uploaded onto the Green
Wave website therefore they can see that they are contributing to planting trees
and also providing that gift to nature.”
Ishana Wright, Standard 5 teacher - St. Mary’s Primary
“They love it. They wanted to plant more plants. Some of them were
actually eager to go and plant two or three plants. I hope that they can see
and learn the importance of planting trees and the importance of the trees and
how they contribute to our society. They can see for themselves the contribution
these plants give to each one of us individually as human beings.”
Michael Fritz, Student - St. Mary’s Primary School
“It was fun because we helped the environment by planting more trees
and it helps us because we get oxygen from the trees.”
Jules Vasquez,
You think you all will be proud years from now when you come here and there
is a huge tree here and you could bring your kids and you could tell them who
plant that?
Kristy Lawrence, Student - St. Mary’s Primary School
“I would be really proud yes, very.”
The Green Wave is a global initiative and click
here for photos from Belize.
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