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12 September 2019 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo Charl Devenish
Arbor tree plant
To celebrate National Arbor Week the University of the Free State has embarked on a drive to plant 150 trees during the month of September
If you’ve wondered whether Arbor Month was important, you only have to look at the destruction and long-term damage that deforestation causes to the environment and the world’s inhabitants. To observe National Arbor Month, the University of the Free State’s has (UFS) kick-started a drive to plant 150 trees during the month of September.

To launch this initiative, the Rector and Vice-Chancellor, Prof Francis Petersen, alongside members of the rectorate, assisted the University Estates team in planting the first 10 of 100 trees at the Bloemfontein Campus on Wednesday 4 September 2019. A total of 50 trees will be planted on the Qwaqwa Campus.

Towards a sustainable future

“We have gone through periods of drought in the Free State that have severely impacted not only the plants but the trees on our campuses. The idea is to emphasise sustainability, and as a university, we believe that sustainability is important. As an education institution, we have to look at the generations that are still to come to our campuses,” said Prof Petersen.

He urged the Kovsie community to ensure that all practices across the campuses are linked to global standards of sustainability. “As we develop over the next couple of months and years, we will get much closer alignment between what we are doing as a university and the Sustainable Development Goals.”

Drought-resistant man-made forests

Clusters of mini forests across the campuses will be created with a variety of trees including the karee, white karee, white stinkwood, and wild olive. These indigenous trees can adapt well to different soils including those that are poorly drained.

Celebrating Arbor Week

This year’s campaign was held under the theme Forests and Sustainable Cities. As part of the celebration, University Estates made a commitment to the environment by embarking on the green initiative which includes other project such as the upgrade of Red Square on the Bloemfontein Campus.

News Archive

UFS more accessible for persons with disabilities
2010-04-22

After millions of rands have already been spent on making its buildings more accessible to people with disabilities, the University of the Free State (UFS) is embarking on a new drive to make the Main Campus more user-friendly for its students and staff with disabilities.

Recently the UFS completed a report with recommendations to upgrade more of its buildings in this regard.

The university is already a leader with regard to its services to students with disabilities and is drawing students from all over the country. The Unit for Students with Disabilities (USD) at the UFS offers support to approximately 120 students.

According to Prof. Niel Viljoen, Vice-Rector: Operations, it remains an ongoing process that should constantly be reviewed. Following a prioritised strategic plan, the UFS is upgrading the bathrooms and elevators in its buildings as well as the ramps and parking spaces.

In the new drive a number of future projects have been identified to make the buildings as well as the Main Campus more accessible and user-friendly for persons with disabilities:

Ramps will be added at the entrances to four more buildings. The entrances to the Geology and Geography Buildings will also be made more accessible. An access ramp from the parking area to the pavement will also be added at the CR de Wet Building (housing the Departments of Physiotherapy and Occupational Therapy).

To make classrooms on higher levels accessible, the UFS is looking into the possibility of installing elevators in four more buildings. The university is also investigating the possibility of stair lifts in two of its buildings. Existing elevators on campus will also be upgraded.

More allocated parking spaces for persons in wheelchairs will also be provided closer to buildings.

Accessible bathrooms for persons with disabilities will be added in five more buildings on campus.

Media Release
Issued by: Mangaliso Radebe
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2828
Cell: 078 460 3320
E-mail: radebemt@ufs.ac.za  
22 April 2010

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