Ouagadougou: The 2026 national reforestation campaign was officially launched Tuesday in the province of Oudalan by the Provincial Directorate of Environment and Water, under the chairmanship of the province's high commissioner, Valentin Mar, through the planting of 1,000 seedlings in the provincial grove.
According to Burkina Information Agency, the activity mobilized administrative authorities, the Defense and Security Forces (FDS), local authorities, and civil society organizations. Speaking at the event, Hamadou Boureima, the second vice-president of the special delegation of the Gorom-Gorom commune, emphasized the importance of trees in environmental preservation. "Trees are life," he declared, urging residents to plant and care for more trees to combat the effects of climate change and contribute to the reforestation of the province.
The provincial director of Environment and Water, Mohamed Konan, explained that the late start of the campaign was mainly due to the rainfall in the area. The 1,000 plants planted include mahogany, neem, baobab, and Nile acacia. The activity also initiated the establishment of a medicinal plant grove, in line with the "One Province, One Medicinal Plant Grove" initiative launched in 2025 by the President of Burkina Faso, Captain Ibrahim Traor.
In his opening speech, the High Commissioner of Oudalan, Valentin Mar, praised the commitment of the people and various stakeholders to the restoration of the vegetation cover. He called on the various socio-professional groups to create "micro-ecosystems," which together will help to reduce the effects of climate change.
After a practical planting demonstration, the High Commissioner proceeded to plant the first seedling, thus kicking off the reforestation work. The participants then continued planting and watering the seedlings in the provincial grove, integrated into the communal forest, which covers a fenced area of 2.70 hectares. This mobilization reflects the desire of the stakeholders in Oudalan to make ecosystem restoration a collective responsibility and a sustainable lever for resilience in the face of climate challenges.