Joburg named National Arbor City for 2015

07 September 2015

 

The City of Joburg was presented with the coveted 2015 Arbor City Award by the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries( DAFF) in Durban, on Thursday, 3 September as part of the country’s National Arbor Week celebrations.

 

The City of Johannesburg competed against seven other municipalities including Cape Town Tshwane and Ethekwini, amongst others.

 

The Member of the Mayoral Committee for Community Development in Joburg, Councillor Chris Vondo was on hand to receive the award and stated that, “the Arbor City Award was the highest acknowledgement of greening in the country”.

 

The City of Joburg’s greening strategies are underpinned by the Joburg 2040 vision to build a green, liveable, resilient and economically-viable powerhouse to enhance the quality of life of all its residents.

 

Councillor Vondo also paid tribute to Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo; green conscious businesses; the media; NGOs and the residents of Joburg who have supported the green call to action. Adding, that he accepted the award on behalf of these, “committed and passionate individuals and the birds, bees and trees who have no voice”. He also committed the City of Joburg to continuing its quest to explore new innovations, diligently interrogate the developmental agenda, aggressively work towards bridging the green-divide and to consistently strive to build a citizenry that takes pride and ownership of its environment.

 

Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo the custodians of the ecology of the City, have planted over 300 000 trees since 2010, transformed landfill sites into world class parks, developed over 50 community-based food gardens, beautified key arterials in the city, installed 22 outdoor gyms and has planted 6000 fruit trees this financial year.

 

“The Arbor City 2015 Award salutes a decade of cutting-edge service excellence in greening by the City of Joburg and Johannesburg City Parks and Zoo,” he stated.