450 Mangrove Saplings Planted at the Centro Estudo Mangrove in Hera
G-SIG collaborated with KFF (Konservasaun Flora no Fauna) to facilitate the planting of 450 mangrove saplings in Hera, together with G-SIG volunteer members and the Community OpenStreetMap Timor-Leste.
To celebrate the 49th anniversary of Timor-Leste’s Proclamation of Independence on November 28, G-SIG, along with its volunteers from the Community OpenStreetMap Timor-Leste and G-SIG volunteer members, carried out a mapping initiative alongside the planting of 450 mangrove saplings in the protected area of the Sentru Estudo Mangrove in Hera.
As part of this event, G-SIG commemorated this special day together with its Advisor Board. During the opening session of the mangrove planting activity, G-SIG invited the Advisor Board and President of KFF to officially launch the event.
During the opening remarks, G-SIG Advisor Board member, Mr. Osvaldo da Cruz Sarmento, expressed deep appreciation for this initiative and emphasized the importance of celebrating such a significant day by planting mangroves to protect coastal areas for our country Timor-Leste. “Today is a special day for our nation. It is remarkable to see young people taking the initiative to contribute to addressing climate change issues in Timor-Leste and supporting our government. This mangrove planting initiative is a positive action that helps protect our coastal biodiversity and the communities living in these areas,” stated G-SIG advisor Mr. Osvaldo.
At the same time, the Executive President of G-SIG also expressed heartfelt gratitude to all the enthusiastic volunteers who participated in the mangrove planting activity. “I am very happy to see all of you participating in today’s activity with great enthusiasm. As young people, I am proud to see how many of us have come together to make a positive contribution to our nation, especially through this initiative,” he said.
The participants in this mangrove planting activity included 30 volunteers from OpenStreetMap Timor-Leste, 12 members from G-SIG, two members of the Advisor Board, and several students from the National University of Timor-Lorosa’e, along with members from KFF.
Nilda Collo, a volunteer from the community OpenStreetMap Timor-Leste, expressed her happiness and gratitude for the mangrove planting initiative. She shared her excitement about celebrating this important day by contributing to the nation, particularly in addressing climate change issues. “Planting one tree saves one life. This is a meaningful activity that preserves and protects our natural environment, especially in coastal areas for the future. The saplings we plant today will have a positive impact for the years to come. As a young person, I feel extremely happy to contribute to my beloved land, even if in a small way, but with great passion and love,” she said.
This initiative received support from the Youth Climate Justice Fund to promote reforestation and greenery to address climate change issues in Timor-Leste for the fiscal year 2024.