By Davida Spaine-Solomon
The Freetown City Council (FCC), through its Mayor’s Delivery Unit (MDU), has reiterated its unwavering commitment to creating a cleaner, cooler, and more climate-resilient city under the banner of #FreetownTheTreeTown a flagship reforestation campaign aimed at planting and digitally tracking five million trees by 2030.
In a recent engagement with members of the media, officials from the Council shared progress updates and called for strengthened collaboration in amplifying environmental education and community participation.
Speaking during the session, Mr. John Baimba Sesay, Communications Lead in the Mayor’s Office, acknowledged the vital role of the media in promoting the Council’s environmental goals.
“We can’t drive this campaign alone,” he said. “The media helps us shape public perception, inform residents, and ensure that people understand why protecting our trees is protecting our future.”
Baimba noted that the interactive session was organized ahead of a scheduled field visit to various tree-planting sites across the city, where journalists would engage with technical teams and community members involved in the initiative.
Councillor Yunisa Kamara, who also addressed the gathering, highlighted the link between deforestation and the increasing environmental risks Freetown faces including flooding, landslides, and rising temperatures.
“Trees are our shield,” he said. “If people cut them down, they expose themselves to disasters. That’s why community awareness and involvement are key to sustaining this project.”
Ms. Yatta Kallon, Climate Change Lead at the FCC, provided insight into the city’s ongoing environmental challenges. She explained that the rapid pace of urbanization, coupled with unregulated land use, has resulted in massive deforestation and air pollution.
She emphasized that the Tree Town Campaign was launched to reverse this trend using technology-driven solutions.
“Each tree we plant is digitally tracked and verified,” Kallon explained. “This digital monitoring system promotes transparency, helps us measure growth and survival, and keeps the public informed.”
According to Kallon, the initiative goes beyond planting trees, it seeks to restore degraded lands, enhance water security, create green jobs for women and youth, and build stronger community resilience.
During the first phase (2020–2023), the Council successfully planted and digitally tracked over 977,000 trees across 13 catchment areas in the Western Area Peninsula. The ongoing second phase (2024–2028) aims to expand coverage, focusing on water catchment protection, slope stabilization, and coastal reforestation.
The FCC has also launched a “Tree Giveaway Initiative”, encouraging households to plant trees in their backyards as part of a shared effort to green the city. As of 2024, more than 300,000 trees have been verified through the digital system.
“Every seedling is a step toward a more sustainable Freetown,” Kallon said. “Through #FreetownTheTreeTown, we are not only restoring nature — we are restoring hope.”
The media engagement concluded with a tour of several reforestation sites, including the Fourah Bay College Botanical Gardens and the Kolleh Town catchment area, where thousands of mangrove trees have been planted to protect coastal zones and strengthen the city’s ecosystem.
As Freetown continues to grow, the Council’s message remains clear a greener city begins with collective responsibility. Through sustained collaboration, digital innovation, and citizen participation, #FreetownTheTreeTown continues to blossom as a symbol of environmental renewal and urban resilience
