By Aminata Abu Bakarr Kamara
Tree planting has become one of the most popular responses to climate change and environmental degradation. Across Sierra Leone, well-meaning campaigns encourage citizens to plant trees in schools, streets, and open spaces. While these initiatives deserve recognition, they also raise an uncomfortable truth: tree planting without proper urban planning is not environmental protection it is symbolism without strategy.
Trees matter. They absorb carbon, provide shade, reduce flooding, improve air quality, and beautify communities. But planting trees in isolation, without integrating them into broader urban development plans, limits their impact and often leads to failure.
In many parts of Freetown and other growing towns, trees are planted today and uprooted tomorrow to make way for unregulated construction. Seedlings are placed in drainage channels, on road reserves, or in overcrowded settlements where survival chances are minimal. Without protection, maintenance, or clear land-use planning, these trees rarely reach maturity.
Meanwhile, urban expansion continues unchecked. Hillsides are cleared for housing, wetlands are reclaimed for development, and waterways are blocked by buildings. These practices worsen flooding, landslides, and heat stress—problems that no amount of ceremonial tree planting can solve.
Environmental protection must be rooted in planning, urban planning determines where people live, where roads run, how drainage flows, and where green spaces are preserved. Without enforced zoning laws and development controls, cities grow chaotically, putting pressure on fragile ecosystems. Planting trees in such conditions is like treating symptoms while ignoring the disease.
The consequences are already visible. Seasonal flooding displaces families. Mudslides threaten lives. Informal settlements multiply in high-risk areas. Waste management struggles to keep pace with population growth. Yet responses often focus on short-term activities rather than structural reform.
True environmental protection requires coordinated action: integrating green spaces into city layouts, protecting watersheds, enforcing building regulations, and preserving natural buffers such as mangroves and wetlands. Trees should be planted where they can survive, thrive, and serve long-term ecological functions—not where they simply look good for photographs.
Equally important is community ownership. Many tree-planting campaigns end once seedlings are in the ground. Without follow-up care, watering, fencing, or monitoring, survival rates remain low. Environmental stewardship must be continuous, not seasonal.
Local councils, environmental agencies, urban planners, and community leaders must work together. Development permits should consider environmental impact. Road projects should include green corridors. Housing schemes should allocate space for parks and trees. Informal settlements must be upgraded with climate resilience in mind, not ignored until disaster strikes.
Citizens also have a role. Protecting trees, respecting drainage systems, and rejecting construction in dangerous areas are acts of environmental responsibility. Climate action is not only the work of government it begins in neighborhoods.
Sierra Leone does not lack goodwill or awareness. What is missing is integration. Tree planting must be part of a broader vision that connects environment, housing, infrastructure, and public safety.
If we are serious about climate resilience and sustainable cities, we must move beyond symbolic gestures. Environmental protection is not about how many trees we plant it is about how wisely we plan.
Copyright –Published in Expo Times News on Wednesday, 11th February 2026 (ExpoTimes News – Expo Media Group (expomediasl.com)
