 |
| Children proudly show the tree they planted at the Bogoso camp area |
In translating the meaning of this theme, Mr. Emmanuel Koomson, an Environmental Superintendent with Golden Star shared this:
“The World Environment Day is celebrated to educate, protect and create awareness about the need to protect the environment for good health, long life, biodiversity, balance in the entire ecosystem and for prosperity. We must be passionate about the environment especially towards things that degrade it. Trees support our existence on the earth by giving us oxygen hence we should avoid indiscriminate felling of trees and rather plant more trees to support life. As a business entity, Golden Star takes this opportunity to refocus us all on the ongoing need to protect the environment, enhance its quality and ensure good housekeeping at all times.”
 |
| Tree planting at one of Golden Star's mine sites |
Connecting People to Nature at Our Operations
At the Golden Star operations our leaders held programs with the workforce to discuss our role in the protection of the environment and to launch clean-up programs and tree planting activities.
Shaddrack A. Sowah, Acting General Manager (Wassa)“I appreciate the important balance between the sea and the land due to my upbringing along the coastal belt of Ghana. To stay connected to nature I encourage all to work towards protecting the local environment and together we can protect the world. At Golden Star today we acknowledged that the preservation and protection of the environment is not just the responsibility of an individual, the Government or an organization, but it is the collective responsibility of us all.”
Nyanzu Agyabu, Environmental Services/Safety Manager
“It is very important as humans to be reminded of our obligation to come closer to nature and maintain it for generations unborn. As the saying goes, when the last tree dies the last person also dies. Therefore we need to protect the environment to ensure that we live in close harmony with what God has given us and protect it to the best of his or her ability.”
 |
| Prestea mine's General Manager, Jerry Agala, addressing the Prestea workforce on World Environment Day |
Supporting Community Celebrations of the Environment
With our host communities, we supported the Prestea Huni-Valley District Assembly to recognize this important international celebration with a launch event and a tree planting program.
 |
| World Environment Day launch at Prestea Huni-Valley District Assembly |
“With my personal crusade concerning environmental protection and waste management, I am glad about Golden Star’s positive approach towards the protection of the environment. We need the environment to survive. All should therefore instill the protection of the environment, especially afforestation, in their lives.”
Yaw Asamoah, District Coordinating Director, Prestea Huni-Valley District Assembly
“I am happy that Golden Star and the District Assembly are working together for the celebration of the 2017 World Environment Day. As the adage goes, when the last tree dies, the last person also dies. Hence, I wish to advise the whole community to assist the Assembly to educate ourselves on the need to protect the environment through good sanitation practices.”
 |
| Golden Star team members assist the District Coordinating Director with tree planting |
The Next Generation and the Environment
Our children are our future and they will bear the brunt of how we treat our world. At schools within our host communities World Environment Day activities included environmental inspections of schools, environmental quizzes and tree planting. In a very close finish at the schools in the Wassa area, Akyempim School B clinched the title for the schools’ environmental protection quiz, and Nsadweso D/A Basic School secured first place in the schools’ environmental inspection. Congratulations to all participants!
 |
| Golden Star team members and traditional leaders join school quiz participants to celebrate |
Julius Asamoah from Akyempim School B
“The Golden Star program helped me to understand and appreciate the fact that we really need to protect our environment. I was privileged to see measures used to protect the environment and reclaim mined lands. I am happy about the effort my school is giving to protect the environment by ensuring that we help to keep our environment clean and to preserve the trees.”
Benjamin Atta Akomeah – Student at Akyempim School B
“Congratulations to Golden Star for their environmental protection program and for enlightening us more on the protection of the environment. I believe we will live long if we protect the environment therefore I encourage everyone to help protect nature.”
Esther Padi, Headmistress of Nsadweso D/A Basic School
“Our aim is to protect the environment for generations to come and we are grateful for Golden Star’s award as the neatest school in its catchment area. The children are inspired and I believe the message will be shared with their families. I urge everyone to support the campaign for the protection of the environment!”
Celestina Atsiagli, Golden Star Environmental Officer
“By connecting people to nature, especially school children, we help them to understand the need to protect the environment and for them to communicate the knowledge at home as well. I encourage everyone to support us in the protection of the environment and leave the environment better than we found it for future use.”
When We Mine, We Mend
In the month of June, Golden Star also commenced revegetation of its largest tailings storage facility at our Bogoso operations. Planted with more than 1,500 oil palms so far, the area will in the future be incorporated into the Golden Star Oil Palm Plantation
 |
| Oil palm seedlings being planted at the Bogoso tailings storage facility |
Did you know that Golden Star has nurseries at each of our mine sites that grow native endemic trees for mine site reclamation? In the last five years alone we propagated over 100,000 indigenous plant seedlings, many of which are recognized as having special conservation value, for re-planting in our formerly mined areas. This was complemented by replacement of topsoil and planting of over 16,000 kg of plant seeds.
 |
| Samuel Cudjoe at one of the Golden Star native plant nurseries |
Samuel E. Cudjoe, Golden Star Field Rehabilitation Coordinator
“Globally, we celebrate World Environment Day to create environmental awareness, positive action and instill in individuals the notion of good environmental stewardship. We survive in only one earth and our actions have direct effect on us and generations to come.”
If you'd like to find out more about Golden Star and its approach to CSR, please visit www.gsr.com/responsibility.
