By Ibrahim Sesay

To promote ecotourism and environmental sustainability, the National Tourist Board, in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism and Cultural Affairs, on Thursday June 5, 2025 commemorated World Environment Day with a symbolic tree planting exercise along the Lumley and Aberdeen beach aimed at restoring ecological balance and conserving biodiversity. The initiative, which began on Thursday, will involve planting 300 diverse species including almond trees, royal palms and coconut trees along the coastline.

Deputy Minister of Tourism, Khadija Kamara, underscored the collaborative nature of the exercise, describing it as both symbolic and instructive.


"We are here to plant trees not only to beautify the beach but to raise awareness about the need to keep our beaches clean and protect our environment,” she said. “Building Sierra Leone is not the job of Ministries alone. It requires collective and collaborative effort.”

In her remark, NTB’s General Manager, Fatmata Mida Carew, said Thursday’s activity was a continuation of a broader plan to transform the Lumley-Aberdeen beach into an "eco-friendly, tourist-friendly" area.

“We started this process last year when we demolished unregulated beach bars,” she noted. “This tree planting exercise is part of the beautification and restructuring of this iconic beach. So far, we’ve planted over 20 trees today and we plan to cover selected areas stretching from the Atlantic Golf Club up to Aberdeen.”

She revealed ongoing partnerships with a private sector partner to establish public recreational facilities, including a beach garden and an outdoor gym, all of which will contribute to making the beach a more attractive destination.


“This year has been declared the Year of Ecotourism by the Ministry,” she added. “That means preserving both our culture and our environment.”

Fatmata Mida Carew also made a strong call to action for citizens and visitors to properly dispose of waste and use garbage bins provided along the beach.

“Plastic pollution and waste from upstream drainage are major challenges. The cost of cleaning the beach is high and we need everyone, especially philanthropists, to support the preservation and maintenance of our beaches.”

Marketing Manager of NTB, Lucinda Kargbo, described the tree planting as a strategic component of the Board’s ecotourism marketing plan.


“Tree planting is part of our strategy to market the beach through ecotourism,” she said. “It serves the dual purpose of providing shade and enhancing the beauty of the beach. When you look at our mountains and hilltops, their green scenery is part of what makes Sierra Leone attractive to tourists.”


The Planning and Development Manager, Umaru Woody, used the occasion to reflect on the importance of World Environment Day and called for greater individual responsibility.

“Our environment is our land, our life and our future,” he said. “If we are to promote ecotourism, we must connect conservation, nature and culture, all of which depend on a healthy environment. Without protecting our beaches, wildlife and protected areas, there is no foundation for sustainable ecotourism.”

The exercise concluded with the planting of trees by the General Manager of NTB, Deputy Minister of Tourism together with workers of NTB. https://thecalabashnewspaper.com/ntb-marks-world-environment-day-with-tree-planting-along-lumley-aberdeen-beach/