MINSK, 25 March (BelTA) – The Forestry Ministry intends to plant over 33,000 hectares of forest in 2019, with the bulk of the work to be done in spring, BelTA has learned from the press service of the Forestry Ministry.
Forestry enterprises have already started to plant new forests. This was prefaced by a lot of preparatory work. Some 31,177 hectares of soil was cultivated in 2018, and around 700 hectares in early 2019. Forestry enterprises have already planted over 6,000 hectares of forest in the past two weeks which is 20% of the total amount. The focus is given to recuperation of dried forest areas where over 5,500 hectares of new forest has already been planted.
Belarus is in top ten tree-filled countries in Europe. Belarus' forest cover level has reached the maximum point of 39.8% since 1945. Belarusian forestry enterprises annually plant at least 30,000 hectares of new forest. “We aim to create mixed forests (with two and more tree species). In 2018, over 90.9% of the new forest was planted according to this principle. Such an approach makes forests less susceptible to various biological and climate factors,” the press service noted.
On 13-20 April, the Forestry Ministry will be running the nationwide Forest Week campaign. It enables everyone to contribute to the restoration of forests. Volunteers must apply to a local forestry enterprise which will provide them with planting materials and necessary tools.
