Anlo Beach (W/R), May 28, GNA - The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), on Tuesday planted 1,000 mangrove seedlings along the Anlo Beach Estuary as part of activities marking World Environment Day. The day, which falls on June fifth every year, is on the national theme: "Plant a tree: Reduce Global Warming". This year's celebration would be held at Shama in the Western Region. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency (GNA) after the exercise, Mr Kofi Eshun, Programmes Officer of the EPA said, the planting of the trees would help sustain and preserve fish stocks along the estuaries of the river, which links directly into the sea at Shama. Mr Eshun said the support of the inhabitants of Anlo Beach in the replanting exercise was impressive and commendable. He said there were still vast areas that the mangrove needed to be planted to save the community from sea erosion and also from depleting fish stocks.

Mr Eshun said many fish stocks usually breed their fingerlings in the estuaries before they migrate into the sea or any nearby river. He explained that, the mangrove also served as a purifier for rivers and prevents debris and other unwanted materials from entering the sea. "Mangrove wood is also used for construction and firewood," he noted. Mr Eshun stressed that, the use of the mangrove for construction and as fuel wood, must encourage people to plant more to safeguard their own livelihood. He said the global theme: "Kick the Habit, Fostering low Carbon Economies", was also aimed at encouraging people to change the present farming system of slash and burn and replace it with a less carbon system of farming.