In celebration of International Biodiversity Day on Monday, May 22, Mrs. Ann Marie Davis, wife of the Hon. Philip Davis, Prime Minister, planted two trees at the Rand Nature Center.

The trees planted were Breadfruit, and Lignum Vitae.

During her presentation, Mrs. Davis pointed out the strengths of both plants and the benefits of their usage.

She was in Grand Bahama recently to donate 50 breadfruit plants to Ole Freetown Farm, a facility that was damaged during Hurricane Dorian.  Noting that the only things left standing following the storm were two breadfruit trees, Mrs. Davis was pleased to say that they can withstand storms and if properly cared for, can feed a family of four for up to 10 years.

According to the website linked to the United Nations website, “Biological diversity is often understood in terms of the wide variety of plants, animals, and microorganisms, but it also includes genetic differences within each species – for example, between varieties of crops and breeds of livestock – and the variety of ecosystems (lakes, forest, deserts, agricultural landscapes) that host multiple kinds of interactions among their members (humans, plants, animals).

“Biological diversity resources are the pillars upon which we build civilizations. Fish provide 20 percent of animal protein to about three billion people. Over 80 percent of the human diet is provided by plants. As many as 80 percent of people living in rural areas in developing countries rely on traditional plant-based medicines for basic healthcare.”

Following the Rand Nature Center, Mrs. Davis then went to three Urban Renewal sites (Sea Horse, Pineridge, and Lewis Yard) where she placed one of each type of plant into the ground.