Annual Tree Awards

The first Annual Tree Award ceremony was in 2007, initiated by Luise Hoffmann to recognise individuals, companies and organisations that have made an effort to save and protect Namibia's indigenous trees and to plant trees and create awareness about Namibia's indigenous flora. This is not a competition – there are no first prizes. Everyone who cares about trees is a winner.

People from all over Namibia are encouraged to nominate deserving candidates. Only three Tree Awards are allocated each year, as well as Certificates of Recognition. The purpose of the awards is to make people aware of the value of indigenous trees and discourage them from planting alien trees that do not belong to Namibia. We have a wealth of indigenous trees in our country.

2023

In addition to the framed certificate, each recipient received a tree, suitable for growing in their respective region. The tree were kindly donated by Namib Trees.

Tree Awards were given to:

Agnes Shivute, Okafitu village, Omusati region

• Started a nursery at her home in 2017
• This has provided an income and expanded to selling tote bags with names of indigenous trees
• Is collecting seeds of indigenous plants and fund raising to set up a nursery on land allocated by the traditional authority
• Is involved in educating and creating awareness, has written a children’s book
• Has started a seed bank and sells non-indigenous trees, but edible plants

Quiver Tree Forest Project of Gondwana

• Quiver tree nursery was started in 1997
• Of the 100 trees planted, 805 are still alive
• To date 350 trees have been planted
• Have involved local communities in the project
• Guests can now adopt and plant a tree, closely monitored by the Gondwana park team

Wild Kids Academy Katima Mulilo

• In 2020 started an annual tree planting programme around Katima Mulilo
• Trees planted are 65% indigenous, some fruit and some ornamental
• They have a landscape project in Katima and aim to be “the school that is most in touch with nature”
• They have produced an informative booklet on trees

Certificates of Recognition were awarded to:

Vilho Family, Naankuse Wildlife Sanctuary

• Celebrated the birth of their daughters by planting a tree at Mediclinic.
• Have planted a tree on successive birthdays of each daughter, some at home, some at other institutions.
• Have pledged to continue the tradition until their daughters are 18 years old.

Havanna High School, Havanna, Windhoek

• During the development and building of new school buildings, two trees were saved from being destroyed.
• The trees have been nurtured, well looked after and are thriving.

2022

In 2022, we presented three Tree Awards and two Certificates of Recognition. A big thank you to Namib Trees for sponsoring the tree prizes.

The Tree Awards went to:

Stephan Harrison of Camelthorn Pod Shopping Centre for saving a lovely old camelthorn tree and making it the central feature of a new shopping centre in Klein Windhoek.

Theo Ikua of Green Earth Project for distributing seeds of indigenous trees to schools and marginal communities. The participants are taught how to germinate and nurture the seeds and seedlings until they are old enough to be planted. The Project then buys the saplings and sells them to corporations and organisations who are willing to plant lots of young trees.

Fritz Kaufmann of ISAP Camelthorn Project. He and his rangers, Ezekiel and Dirk, produce about 3000 camelthorn saplings per year, which they donate to farmers and other people.

Certificates of Recognition were awarded to:

• Okongo Community Forest for planting fruit trees, some of which are indigenous, and sharing the produce with the community. We would encourage them to plant more indigenous fruit trees.
• Privatschule Otjiwarongo for planting indigenous trees on the school grounds.

2021

Due to Covid-19, no Tree Awards were presented in 2021.

2020

Tree Awards were awarded to:

B2Gold Otjikoto Rehabilitation Nursery. Otjikoto Gold Mine in Otjozondjupa region has a rehabilitation nursery which serves a number of functions but mainly supports the company's rehabilitation initiatives. B2Gold promotes progressive rehabilitation by producing and supplying seedling for mine rehabilitation while the mine is operational. Since 2018, 5655 seedlings from 17 locally sourced taxa have been planted. Since 2019, 1176 trees have been planted in different locations around the mining site. 35 were planted in commemoration of World Environment Day and Arbor Day. B2Gold also conducts research that supports the rehabilitation of mined land and builds capacity with local universities and Forestry. B2Gold runs environmental education program and donates indigenous trees to different schools within the region.

Die Boomhuis Coffee Shop. The coffee shop, in Windhoek at the corner of Robert Mugabe Street and Etna Street, was built around a beautiful old camel thorn tree.

Indian High Commission. The renovation and reconstruction work being carried out at the High Commission used a design in which trees inside the High Commission were not harmed. The design of cultural hall was changed to save two big trees. A flexible perimeter wall design was adopted, which saved 15-20 big trees. This meant that the trees and the space that they take up, which were on the High Commission's side earlier, have now gone to their neighbours but the trees are safe and sound.

Certificates of Recognition were presented to:

• Dr Sydney Memorial College in Omalala Village. The construction of the school began in 2017. Indigenous trees on site were protected during the construction and planting of new trees began in 2019. Colophospermum mopane trees were planted (as well as some exotics) and these now line the school driveway.
• Agnes Shekupe Shivute. Agnes is a BSc graduate from UNAM. She has a passion for saving water and planting trees and a vision to create environmental awareness in northern Namibia. She started a nursery in Omusati Region and grows and plants indigenous trees along with other species for future generations.
  Indigenous trees included Adansonia digitata, Sclerocarya birrea and Berchemia discolor.

2019

Tree Awards were awarded to:

Omuramba Medical Centre, located in Windhoek was awarded for saving and protecting an Acacia erioloba (Camelthorn), one of Namibia's widespread and well-known indigenous trees.

St George's Diocesan School, located in Windhoek, was awarded for identifying all trees on school grounds and labeling up to 100 trees through the Adopt a Tree Project. They were also recognised for their efforts in removing cacti, planting dry gardens and creating awareness on environmental issues.

Omba Arts Trust, was awarded for initiating the planting of homestead palm gardens from 1994 to 2016, in the Kavango East Region. These gardens included Hyphaene petersiana and other important dye and useful trees such as Bird-plum (Berchemia discolor).

Certificates of Recognition were presented to:

• Clean Travel Programme, an initiative between Elooloo Permaculture and TOSCO was recognised for planting over 100 trees at Augustineum Secondary School and Moreson Special School in Windhoek.
• Emilia Angala – Kuku Gwakondo Garden. Ms Angala was recognised for planting over 400 trees in the Kuku Gwakondo Garden in Ongwediva. This garden includes a range of indigenous trees and fruit trees.
• Indian High Commission donated 150 trees to UNAM to mark the United Nations World Environment Day and the 150th birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi.
• Manie le Roux & Homefine Properties CC were recognised for instigating the removal of large Aloe littoralis (Windhoek Aloes) before the construction of the UNAM Veterinary Teaching Hospital so that they could be relocated when construction was completed.

A list of awardees from earlier years is available on request.