August – September 2025 | Togo
On Friday, 29 August 2025, the NFI member organization Case Togo officially launched its Arboretum Park project in Kpalimé. The inauguration ceremony brought together local authorities, project partners, NGOs, environmental associations, youth, and students, reflecting strong community and institutional support for the initiative.
The launch event included a project presentation conference and a symbolic tree-planting session at the designated site.
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According to Agbogan Yaovi Pablo, Secretary General of Naturefriends Togo, the arboretum will host a wide variety of species, including endangered plants, fruit trees, and fast-growing varieties. It is envisioned as a multifunctional space for environmental education, research, and recreation for the population.
The project will span two years, covering approximately 5 hectares in Kpalimé and 2 hectares along the Danyi River, where a gallery forest will be developed to protect riverbanks and restore local ecosystems.
The Kloto municipality, which includes the city of Kpalimé, expressed its full support for the project, aligning it with its climate action plan. Fiadjigbé Kokou Elewossi, Head of the Sanitation and Environment Division at the town hall, highlighted the influence of climate change on the community in his speech:
“In the past, Kloto experienced regular rainfall. Today, the rain is scarce, and temperatures are rising. Establishing an urban forest will create a shady recreational area for the population, improve air quality, enhance public health, and support agriculture – our region’s economic backbone.”
With over 75 % of local plant species lost in the past 50 years, the Arboretum Park represents a vital opportunity for restoration and sustainable green space management, involving all community stakeholders.
Students also actively took part in the planting activities. “We planted trees to protect nature. We must take care of them so that Kloto can regain its former climate,” said Amen, a student from Kpalimé.
The reforestation campaign continued on 12th September in the framework of the Global Naturefriends Days, with an additional 1,022 seedlings planted.
To date, a total of 3,500 trees has been planted as part of the ‘Trees for Kpalimé’ initiative, marking a strong start in the collective effort to restore and protect the region’s environment.
A joint team from the city administration and Naturefriends Togo will guide the maintenance, monitoring, and watering of the young plants.
More about this project: https://climatefund.nf-int.org/en/trees-for-kpalime/
If you want to support this project you can donate directly here: You can donate here: https://climatefund.nf-int.org/en/donate/