The Protected Areas Commission (PAC) and the Guyana Forestry Commission (GFC) have issued an urgent public appeal calling on citizens to immediately stop the deliberate destruction of young trees recently planted along the Heroes Highway, warning that legal action will be pursued against those found damaging public property.
Despite the installation of protective barricades designed to safeguard the saplings during their critical growth phase, reports and field observations have confirmed that individuals are deliberately reaching into the enclosures to break, uproot or otherwise damage the young trees. Mesh and wooden materials used for the enclosures are also being removed, leaving the plants exposed to cattle traversing the roadway.
The trees form part of the National Tree Planting Project, a flagship government initiative jointly implemented by the PAC and GFC aimed at enhancing Guyana’s landscape while contributing to the global fight against climate change. The agencies described the saplings as vital components of national infrastructure, representing a significant investment in Guyana’s Green Future.
“We are working tirelessly to build a greener, healthier Guyana, but the success of this project depends on the respect and cooperation of every citizen. We must move from being bystanders to being stewards of our environment,” the agencies said in a joint statement.
The PAC and GFC are urging citizens to immediately desist from interfering with the plants or their protective barricades, report any acts of vandalism to the PAC, GFC or the nearest police station, and encourage friends and family to respect and protect shared green spaces.
Both agencies reminded the public that the trees belong to all Guyanese, and that vandalism robs future generations of their environmental heritage.
