More than 2,000 native trees are being stockpiled in Samoa in readiness for the launch of a new environmental campaign at the 13th South Pacific Games.
The campaign called 'Play it clean and green' will encourage athletes and visitors to the games to pick up their litter, not touch the coral reefs when snorkling or diving and plant a tree.
Campaign organisers hope to plant 2,015 trees to mark the year 2015 by which time the country needs to have achieved its Millennium Development Goals.
The trees will be planted at the Tuanaimato National Park and one of the campaign organisers, Mark Ricketts from the South Pacific Regional Environment Programme or SPREP, says each tree will have a name tag on it.
"Hopefully in years to come, when they come back to Samoa for a holiday, they can go and see their tree. We'll also give them a medal or a badge to show that they've participated so we're hoping there'll be some peer group pressure as you walk around the games to show that you're one of the ones who've gone and done the right thing."
Mark Ricketts of SPREP
