JPS Volunteers Plant 3,000 Trees along Highway 2000

(Kingston July 18, 2023)   JPS Volunteers recently planted 3,000 trees along the Hartlands stretch of Highway 2000, as their contribution to a Plant-a-thon which was hosted by the Forestry Department.  The event was part of the National Tree Planting Initiative, which aims to support Prime Minister Andrew Holness’ Three Million Trees Initiative. 

Eighty-eight JPS VOLTS, (Volunteers On Location To Serve) planted forest and fruit trees along the 5 hectare stretch, alongside other volunteers, including some from the Private Sector Organisation of Jamaica (PSOJ) and members of the community.

“The trees included ackee, neem, cedar and apple,” informed a pleased Azalee Lawson, Manager of Environmental Affairs at JPS.  “This is something we believe in very passionately, and we want to encourage other corporate entities to get on board,” she added. 

Georgette Bolton-Smith, Manager of Programmes, Policy and Research at the PSOJ also shared about the activity’s importance to the group. “[The impact of Climate Change] is not only economical but it is social as well, as it has an impact on our schools, our soft spaces, our drinking water and our ability to live and exist as human beings.” She went on to underscore that the PSOJ is also encouraging other entities and persons to become a part of the initiative, to plant trees and help mitigate the impact of climate change.   

JPS has been supporting the natural environment for over 25 years, with the Company being engaged in tree-planting activities at several locations island-wide.  JPS has also been a participant in the Corporate Adopt-a-Hillside initiative, which has seen the organization supporting the planting of 16 hectares of trees.