28 March 2026, 13:19

Belarusian senators take part in tree planting campaign in Stolbtsy District

MINSK, 28 March (BelTA) – Members of the Presidium and staff of the Secretariat of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly took part in the national tree planting campaign dedicated to the Five-Year Plan for Quality, held in the Okinchitsy forestry of Stolbtsy District, BelTA has learned.

Chairman of the Standing Commission on Legislation and State Building of the Council of the Republic Mikhail Rusy expressed confidence that such initiatives are a good idea. “Restoring and creating new natural complexes is both aesthetically pleasing and beneficial for the country's economy,” he said.

Mikhail Rusy also stated that after the head of state proposed helping foresters restore forests following storms, the entire nation joined the initiative: “Every family considered it their duty to go out and plant a tree. In just 30 years, our forested areas have increased by 40%. That is a serious commitment. After all, the forest is wealth, it’s the economy, it’ health, it’s clean air. That’s something we must remember. The fact that members of the Council of the Republic take part in planting is a tradition.”

“Such traditions apply to planting forests, to landscaping around houses, around bodies of water. The forest must be protected, cared for, and expanded," Mikhail Rusy affirmed.

Forestry Minister Aleksandr Kulik noted that such initiatives have been taking place for decades. “They go by different names, but their main goal is the same - to showcase our heritage and demonstrate our care for one of our national treasures, the forest. It’s wonderful to see that the number of participants grows year by year,” he said. “It’s also gratifying that this campaign is spearheaded by top officials. Then they are joined by educational institutions, government bodies, factories, enterprises, and all the ministries.”

“These campaigns help restore forests after we have harvested mature timber and put it into the economy,” Aleksandr Kulik added. He emphasized the importance of leaving a beautiful and vast forest for future generations.

Participants in the campaign planted 5,500 pine and spruce seedlings over an area of two hectares.

Chairwoman of the Standing Commission on Education, Science, Culture and Social Development of the Council of the Republic Natalya Pavlyuchenko stated that today's campaign is in the spirit of Belarusians: preserving what we have, expanding upon it, and passing such good traditions and good deeds from generation to generation. “Today, the team of the Council of the Republic, together with families and children, is planting spruce and pine trees. This will create beautiful, fond memories for both the children and for us,” she said.

“There is also a wonderful idea to visit the places where we planted trees and see how they have grown,” Natalya Pavlyuchenko added.
She emphasized that women always take an active part in forest planting campaigns. “The feminine essence is about creation, new life, and the continuation of life. Here today, we are giving new life to plants. The planting process also strengthens the team and boosts team spirit. Together, we are thinking about the future, about our beloved Belarus,” Natalya Pavlyuchenko said.

Chief Forester of the Stolbtsy Experimental Forestry Viktor Bobko explained that timber was harvested on this plot, and now new trees are taking the place of their predecessors. “Today we are planting pine and spruce, creating forest plantations using high-density container-grown planting stock,” he added.