Deputy Minister Bernice Swarts officiates International Day of Forests in Roodepoort, 24 Mar

The Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Ms Bernice Swarts, will on Tuesday, 24 March 2026, officiate the International Day of Forests (IDF) at the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden.

The IDF was proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 2012. While the world celebrates the International Day of Forests (IDF) on 21 March, South Africa is this year commemorating the day on 24 March.

South Africa's 2026 commemoration will highlight the success of the National Greening Programme, which achieved the milestone of planting one million trees in a single day on Heritage Day - 24 September - in 2025.

Deputy Minister Swarts will use the occasion to outline the 2026/27 National Greening Programme, including targets for tree planting in the upcoming financial year. These targets contribute to President Cyril Ramaphosa's ambitious initiative to plant ten million trees over a five-year period.

The event will also provide an opportunity for stakeholders from government, civil society and the private sector to outline their contributions towards achieving the 2026/27 tree planting targets.

Stakeholders expected to participate include, but are not limited to:

• National government departments
• Provincial government departments
• Local municipalities
• State entities
• Private sector companies, including TotalEnergies
• Non-governmental and non-profit organisations, including churches, youth-based community organisations, and women-led civil society organisations

Deputy Minister Swarts will also use the International Day of Forests (IDF) to express appreciation to all South Africans and stakeholders who contributed to the success of the One Million Trees campaign, led by the Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment on Heritage Day, 24 September 2025.

As part of the programme, Deputy Minister Swarts, together with invited dignitaries, will participate in tree planting activities at the botanical garden.

Members of the media are invited to attend and cover the event as follows:

Date: Tuesday, 24 March 2026
Venue: Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden, Roodepoort
Time: 9h00

To RSVP, please contact Michael Mokoena 082 867 5634 / [email protected] or Banele Mabena 066 420 0144 / [email protected]

For media enquiries, please contact:
Zolile Nqayi
Cell: 082 898 6483
E-mail: [email protected]

ISS