If You Hold a Sapling, Plant It

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In line with its developmental vision and deep commitment to the principles of environmental and social sustainability, An-Najah National University launched a nationwide tree-planting campaign in the Nablus Governorate under the title: “If You Hold a Sapling, Plant It.” The initiative affirms the university’s leadership role in environmental protection, combating climate change, expanding green spaces, and fostering environmental awareness across all segments of Palestinian society.

Launched in October 2024 and continuing through February 2025—and still ongoing as part of a long-term project—this campaign embodies a holistic vision that integrates environmental, educational, and economic dimensions. Its aim is to create meaningful change in community lifestyles while guiding student behavior toward green, sustainable practices.

This initiative reflects a national and educational approach through which the university seeks to inspire students to adopt positive environmental habits and actively engage in community service projects that leave lasting impacts on the land, public awareness, and the local economy. In this spirit, An-Najah National University calls on all educational and community institutions to embrace and expand this campaign, given its environmental, social, and developmental significance, and its contribution to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and building a greener, fairer future for generations to come.

  • Schools of Nablus Governorate:
    240 students from 17 schools participated in planting 322 fruit-bearing trees in their schoolyards, complemented by awareness activities on the importance of green spaces and environmental conservation.
  • Al-Thuraya Center for Persons with Disabilities:
    35 university students from the Community Service course planted 15 fruit trees in the center’s courtyard, promoting the inclusion of persons with disabilities in community-based environmental action.
  • Home Gardens:
    127 university students planted a variety of fruit trees in their family gardens, reinforcing the practice of sustainable home gardening and strengthening intergenerational bonds.
  • Campus Land Rehabilitation:
    Around 3 dunams of neglected land at the old university campus were cleared, plowed, and cultivated with diverse crops, with the participation of 412 students. The once-idle area is now a productive ecological and food resource.
  1. Increase green cover in Palestine
  2. Raise environmental awareness among students and the local community
  3. Involve educational and civil institutions in sustainability efforts
  4. Promote food security and sustainable home gardening
  5. Reduce carbon emissions and mitigate climate change impacts
  6. Enable students to contribute to sustainable development through community service

Environmental Impact

  • Improved urban climate through enhanced shade and cooler air temperatures

  • Carbon dioxide absorption, helping combat climate change

  • Up to 75% reduction in air pollution around planted trees

  • Soil conservation, reduced erosion, and improved rainwater absorption

  • Increased biodiversity by creating wildlife-friendly habitats

 

Social Impact

  • Increased student awareness about agriculture and environmental responsibility

  • Strengthened culture of volunteerism and national belonging

  • Inclusive participation from schools, families, and persons with disabilities

  • Integration of environmental education into the Community Service course, now requiring students to plant a fruit tree as a graduation condition

 

Economic Impact

  • Support for household and institutional economies through olive cultivation, generating an estimated $100 per tree annually after the second year

  • Contribution to food security by growing chemical-free crops

  • Reduced energy demand for cooling buildings thanks to natural shading—cutting air conditioning costs by up to 50%

 

 

Planted Types

  • Fruit Trees: Olive, citrus, Laylat Al-Qadr tree

  • Ornamental Trees & Flowers

  • Crops: Potatoes, peas, chickpeas, fava beans, wheat

Sources

  • Arefa Nursery – Nablus

  • Al-Reihan Nursery – Tell

  • Shehab Al-Din Seeds

  • Various local nurseries supported by community members

 
 

  • Trees Planted to Date: 464

  • Annual Goal: 1,000 trees

  • Three-Year Goal: 3,000 trees

  • School Students Engaged: 240

  • University Student Volunteers: 574 (from Community Service & Sustainability courses)

  • Benefiting Institutions:

    • An-Najah National University

    • Al-Thuraya Center for Persons with Disabilities

    • Qabalan Municipality

    • Yasser Arafat Girls School

    • Turkish Girls School

    • Mohammad Tafaha Girls School

    • UNRWA Girls School

    • Industrial School for Boys

    • Qabalan Elementary Girls School

    • Qabalan Secondary Boys School

    • Nasser Al-Laddawi Girls School

    • Martyrs of Beit Wazan Girls School

    • Quran Academy for Boys

    • Future Generation School for Boys

    • Jawaharlal Nehru Secondary Girls School

    • Ibrahim Sanoubar Girls School

    • Ali Khalil Hamad Girls School

    • Al-Quds Mixed School

    • Saremdin Najmi Boys School

    • Al-Mukhfiya Elementary Boys School

    • 127 private home gardens across Palestinian governorates

 

Campaign Launch Video