GLA Project Drives Youth To Embrace Reforestation
For decades, deforestation in Ebonyi communities was fueled largely by young people, who cut down ancient trees such as mahogany, oil bean, and ikoro without replacement. Living in swampy areas, they never fully grasped the long-term damage these actions caused to their health, environment, and livelihoods.
That perception is changing. According to Solomon Iruka, President General of Ohatekwe-Edatta Community, sustained sensitization under the GLA2 Project has exposed young people to the dangers of indiscriminate tree felling and the future implications if forests are not restored.
“We used to believe tree planting was only for our elders. Today, there is a real behavioral change. The youths now see protecting the forest as protecting our future,” Iruka explained.
As time progressed dozens of young people in both Ohatekwe -Edda and Okposi both in Ebonyi state pressed seedlings into the soil with visible excitement. What was once regarded as the responsibility of elders has now become a badge of pride for the youth, thanks to the awareness and mobilization driven by the project.
Since the sensitization project was implemented by NEW Foundation, young people have facilitated the planting of more than 500 trees across Ebonyi communities. Youth groups that were once indifferent to environmental issues are now taking ownership of climate action.
“We the youths are happy to join in planting more trees beyond our cultural and inherited species. It gives us pride to know that the forest will return. This is our inheritance to protect. We want our children to also inherit trees from us,” said Mr. Uzonwuru Agu, a youth leader in Okposi community.
Experts note that the reforestation drive is more than symbolic. The trees will help restore degraded lands, reduce erosion, and improve long-term food security.
The Ebonyi State Ministry of Environment confirmed that communities engaged in the initiative have achieved an 80% survival rate for newly planted trees not just within individual communities but across the state. This marks a remarkable improvement compared to past reforestation efforts, which often failed due to neglect. Officials say the program is inspiring a cultural shift, with tree planting increasingly seen as a tradition worth passing on to future generations.
What began as an awareness campaign has now become a youth-led movement, proving that with the right support, young people can drive meaningful environmental change in their communities.
