Bafasports hikers enrich Diego Martin food forest

PARTICIPANTS in Bafasports’ latest PLANiT HIKE event planted trees and food crops at Farm Iley in Henry’s Food Forest in Diego Martin on June 16. Nearly 100 participants hiked five kilometres into the Diego Martin hills and planted several seedlings and trees which were donated by the Emperor Valley Zoo with the assistance of Clarence Rambharat.

“The PLANiT series of events seeks to improve the lives of people and planet,” said CEO of Bafasports Nigel Bellamy.

Bafasports aligns their events with the United Nations’ sustainable development goals of maintaining good health, implementing climate action and putting into effect the sustainable use of forests.

Farm Iley is cultivated by Henry Ollivierre, who developed 160 acres of land with a variety of tropical fruit tree species including avocados, figs, mamey apples and breadfruit. Several garden zones of medium and short crops are carefully situated between the trees, allowing for the restructuring of soil and rehabilitation and stabilisation of land while providing nutrient rich food for the community.

Besides the Emperor Valley Zoo, this latest event was done in collaboration with Radio Isaac, the Tweens and long-standing partner, iCARE. Sponsorship for the event came from Mario’s Pizza, Rhand Credit Union, TTEC, SWMCOL and Full House Family. Local song writer Alyssa Joseph performed as part of the entertainment. Blue Waters provided refreshments.

This was Bafasports’ second PLANiT event. Participants also planted 100 moringa trees at the Exchange Farmers Couva site along Waterloo Road in honour of Earth Day 2022.

Bafasports develops challenges to promote and encourage active lifestyles across Trinidad and Tobago as part of the National Million Mile Challenge. Launched in May 2022 by the Minister of Sport and Community Development and Tobago West MP Shamfa Cudjoe, in Tobago, the Million Mile Challenge invites participants to run, walk and hike across the country while logging their miles on the Bafasports website to measure their progress. In all, they will cover a million miles; each mile will earn a dollar for charity.

For more details, interested persons can check Bafasports on Facebook and www.bafasports.com.