MALORITA DISRICT, 11 October (BelTA) – The nationwide voluntary campaign Bringing Forests Back to Life kicked off in Belarus on 11 October, BelTA has learned.
The initiative is dedicated to the Year of Improvement. The first tree was planted today in the Chernyanka forestry area of the Malorita forestry enterprise in Brest Oblast. Belarus' Forestry Minister Aleksandr Kulik and over 50 other participants joined the campaign here. On the designated plot, 7,500 young pines and 1,300 young birches will be planted. Participants worked in high spirits. Local performers from the Malorita District provided entertainment.
Aleksandr Kulik noted that the campaign has been well-received by Belarusians, including labor collectives, families, and school forestry groups. "It has become a brand. Belarus is 40% covered by forests. That is why we are pleased to see such a strong response today. It feels like a holiday,” the minister said.
Saplings are being planted mainly in areas damaged by storms. “Some 21,000 hectares of windfall have been cleared, which is about half the size of an average forestry enterprise. This is, certainly, unplanned work. But our task, and the president’s instruction, is that all timber must be processed. The only issue is with firewood, but all other types of timber are in demand,” Aleksandr Kulik emphasized. This autumn, Belarus plans to restore 3,000 hectares of forest and plant 21 million trees.
“Our main species is pine, but together with scientists we are exploring new directions, actively introducing larch, beech, hardwoods, and oak. We are seeing that spruce is moving north due to climate change and the mass die-off. Each region’s specific conditions are taken into account. In southern Brest Oblast, we plant pine and birch, on richer soils - oak, and further north - spruce, where the conditions allow. Foresters determine the species for each site,” the minister explained.
Tree planting will continue until the ground freezes. “We have enough planting material: 350 million saplings grown at over 70 nurseries nationwide,” the minister assured.
The Bringing Forests Back to Life campaign will run until 31 October. Around 5,000 residents of Brest Oblast are expected to participate. Local forestry enterprises have prepared 237 locations for planting and restoring forest stands. Pines (70%) and birches (30%) will be the main species planted.
First Deputy Chairman of the Brest Oblast Executive Committee Dmitry Gorodetsky stressed that Belarusians of all ages understand the importance of preserving forests. “The forest is our treasure, a resource, the lungs of the planet, nature, and partly the economy. That is why the campaign has found such a wide response. Year after year, the number of participants grows,” he said. He emphasized that participation comes from the heart.
“We aim to plant 1 million saplings: almost one for each resident of our region. We must take care of the forest, and everyone should try to contribute to this great cause,” Dmitry Gorodetsky emphasized.
Photos by Violetta Yuzhakova
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