The Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Makhotso Sotyu, will launch National Arbor Month and announce winners of the Arbor City awards on Friday, 01 September 2023, in Polokwane, Limpopo.

National Arbor Month which is commemorated in the month of September annually is aimed at raising awareness and sensitising South Africans about the need to conserve, protect and plant trees for environmental and human related benefits.

This year, Arbor Month is being celebrated under the theme: Forests & Health as adopted by the United Nations Collaborative Partnerships on Forests. The 2023 theme aims to highlight how forestry and tree planting plays key roles in creating sustainable healthy communities through health benefits derived in forests through nutritious foods, medicine, fresh air, clean water, and places for recreation. 

To mark the official launch of the 2023 National Arbor Month campaign, Deputy Minister Sotyu will visit among others the Green Project Low-Cost Housing in Ext 78, Seshego Healthcare Clinic and the Matongoni Recycling Facility and lead tree planting as well as officiate the National Arbor City Awards (NACA) ceremony. The awards are presented to deserving municipalities who have excelled in contributing to the Ten Million Trees Programme and embraced greening initiatives in their programmes. Schools who have initiated and implemented greening projects will also be rewarded on the night.

Members of the media are invited to attend the launch events as detailed below: 

Part 1: Site Visits

Date: 01 September 2023

Time: 10:30 Venue: Dwars Street, New Polokwane, Green Project Low-Cost Housing in Ext 78

Time: 11:00 Venue:  Seshego Zone 2 Clinic 

Time: 11:30 Venue:  Matongoni Recycling Facility

Time: 12:00 Venue: Seshego Zone 2 opposite the Fun Park

Part 2: National City Arbor Awards

Date: 01 September 2023

Time: 18:00

Venue: Fusion Hotel, Polokwane

To RSVP, please contact.

Noma Bolani on 066 112 3746 / nbolani@dffe.gov.za or Sandile Shangase on 073 815 9838 / sshangase@dffe.gov.za

For media enquiries,  Mr Peter Mbelengwa on 082 611 8197