TOTAL Jamaica Limited could not have chosen a better spot to target as one of its three National Tree Planting Day 2017 projects recently — busy Main Street in Ocho Rios, St Ann, immediately across from its service station in the bustling tourist town.

Amid the honking of horns, mid-afternoon sun and enquiring stares from passers-by, representatives from Total Jamaica, led by Network Development Manager Kamala Johnson, were joined by a group of children and teachers from nearby Mar-Jam Preparatory School, armed with shovels, top soil, mulch and plants.

Total Jamaica was in Ocho Rios celebrating National Tree Planting Day 2017 with the help of the Forestry Department, providing plants to schools which participated in the Schools’ Environment Programme, an initiative sponsored by Total in partnership with the Jamaica Environment Trust.

The environmentally conscious fuel and energy company undertook National Tree Planting Day projects at three schools — Mar-Jam Preparatory, Sanguinetti Primary in Clarendon, and Meadowbrook Preparatory, St Andrew — as Jamaica observed National Tree Planting Day under the theme, ‘Today’s trees, tomorrow’s future’.

Giving a pleasing endorsement to his staff’s involvement with schools and young children for National Tree Planting Day, Total Jamaica’s managing director, David Ducognon, reiterated the company’s steadfast support.

“We want to help secure a healthy and environmentally friendly future through the promotion of environmental stewardship, especially among children, as they can be the engines of positive change,” said Ducognon.

In Ocho Rios, Gail Spencer, coordinator of Mar-Jam Prep’s Environmental Club, marshalled the children as they planted orchids and poincianas, among others, in the green area under the town’s clock.

They were later joined by Mayor of St Ann’s Bay Michael Belnavis, who congratulated the children and Total Jamaica for extending their National Tree Planting Day project to the town of Ocho Rios.

Earlier that morning, Mar-Jam Preparatory, also located on Main Street, Ocho Rios, was buzzing with activity as Total Jamaica’s team and the children went about adding more trees and plants to the school’s already flourishing garden.

Total Jamaica has partnered with Mar-Jam Preparatory since 2011, when the school won the Trees for the Future category of the Jamaica Environment Trust’s Environmental Challenge awards.

Principal Belinda Lue noted that the children of Mar-Jam Prep have a vested interest in ensuring that their environment is protected.

“Protection and preservation of the environment is something we teach in classes. It is integrated in the curriculum,” she said.

“Special emphasis is placed on the environment because we are in a tourist Mecca; and we have to take special care of not only Ocho Rios but St Ann on a whole, an industry on which many of their parents depend for a living,” Lue added.