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Environment Minister launches “Return of the Flowers” campaign

 

The Minister of Environment, Energy and Water Honourable Ahmed Abdulla has launched a campaign to revive flowering plants in Male’. The “Return of the Flowers” campaign will be implemented by the Scout Association of Maldives in partnership with the environment ministry and Male’ Municipality.


At the ceremony held tonight at Imaaduddin School hall, honorable Ahmed Abdulla remarked that he had high hopes that this project would help to significantly increase the number of flowering plants of the species marked for this project, of which very few can be found in Male’ at present. He also remarked that this project would be a very important contribution towards the call made by His Excellency President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom for each and every citizen to plant at least one tree, at the launching ceremony of the UNEP Billion Trees campaign in Maldives. The Minister also thanked the staff of Male’ Municipality for their valuable contributions to the tree planting programmes in Male’.


Speaking at the ceremony, the Chief Commissioner of the Scout Association of Maldives Mr. Ahmed Ali Manik said that since its inception a century ago, the Scout Movement has given a high priority to conserving trees and tree planting. He also stated that the launching of the tree planting programme in Maldives under the UNEP Billion Trees Campaign by the Chief Scout His Excellency President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom has further encouraged and motivated the scouts of Maldives to undertake this tree planting project.


Information on flowering plants was given to the participants at this ceremony by Mr. Mohamed Zahir, the Assistant Director General of the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Water.


15 species of flowering plants will be planted by scouts in Male’ under the project, on this year’s World Environment Day (June 5th). The project is funded by the Government of Maldives.

RETURN OF THE FLOWERS
March 2007

PROJECT TO REVIVE FLOWERING PLANTS IN MALE’

 Background

A study undertaken by the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Water in 2006 indicates that many species of flowering plants which were abundant in Male’ during the early 1900s had rapidly declined since the 1960s. Among the species in decline include:

  1. Champaa maa
  2. Chaandhanee maa
  3. Gulhazaaru maa
  4. Champaapool maa
  5. Kudhimaa
  6. Hazaaru maa
  7. Janavaree maa (hudhu)
  8. Janavaree maa (fiyaathoshi)
  9. Kaamineepool
  10. Thandiraiy maa
  11. Karankaa maa
  12. Iramaa
  13. Sosunmaa
  14. Maliku bodumaa
  15. Javaahiru maa

 

The project aims to kick-start a city wide initiative to revive flowering plants in Male’. Under the project, flowering plants will be procured and planted in the following places of Male’:

  1. Mosques
  2. Schools
  3. Gardens of government buildings
  4. Other public areas where proper maintenance is possible.

The project will be implemented by the Scout Association of Maldives in partnership with the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Water.

 

Project activities

Responsibilities of the partners under the project are outline below:

Responsibilities of the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Water

  1. Identification of species for revival
  2. Procurement of plants
  3. Cover costs with regard to delivery of plants to Male’ Municipality nursery
  4. Identification of sites for planting
  5. Designing of honorary badge to active participants of campaign.
  6. Awarding of honorary badges to the ten most active participants of the campaign.
  7. Monitoring of project progress.

 

Responsibilities of the Scout Association of Maldives

  1. Assign volunteers to deliver the plants from Male’ International Airport to Male’ Municipality nursery.
  2. Plant the trees at nursery and maintain them until they are replanted.
  3. Make a public announcement to apply for hosting flowering plants in home gardens in Male’.
  4. Replant the shoots at identified locations.
  5. Maintenance of plants
  6. Fortnightly monitoring and reporting on status of plants to the Ministry of Environment, Energy and Water
 
© 2005 Ministry of Environment, Energy and Water