Dr Phet Phomphiphack addresses a press conference to mark National Arbour Day.

Forestry ministry sets target to plant 34 million trees this year

The government is planning to plant at least 20,000kg of seeds and over 34 million saplings on 42,000 hectares of land across the country this year.
The ambitious goal is part of efforts to achieve the goal to increase forest cover to 70 percent of the country’s total land area.
Reforestation is seen as important for socio-economic development, environmental protection and biodiversity, as well as being a source of livelihoods.
Speaking at a press conference on Monday to mark National Arbour Day on June 1, Minister of Agriculture and Forestry Dr Phet Phomphiphack said trees would be planted on about 8,535 hectares in protected forest areas.
In addition, trees will be planted on 535 hectares around infrastructure projects, industrial trees will be planted on 29,565 hectares of land, and other trees will be planted on 3,900 hectares of land owned by individuals, organisations and businesses.
On National Arbour Day itself, the ministry plans to plant nearly 3.4 million saplings on 3,480 hectares of land.
At the same time, the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry and the Vientiane Agriculture and Forestry Department will hold an official celebration of National Arbour Day and International Environment Day in Dongmarkkhai village, Xaythany district, Vientiane.
Tree planting is increasingly important to ensure that 70 percent of the nation’s land is forested, covering an area of 16.5 million hectares by 2030.
This includes 4.7 million hectares of conservation forests, 8.2 million hectares of protected forests, 3.1 million hectares of production forests, and 500,000 hectares of rehabilitated forest areas.
Reforestation will help mitigate the effects of climate change, support environmental conservation, and protect biodiversity.
The ministry is calling on members of the public to participate in forest restoration and conservation, saying that groups and entities of all kinds, as well as people from all walks of life, should prepare trees for planting.
People with land to spare are encouraged to plant one or two saplings to help the cause.

By Times Reporters
 (Latest Update May 30, 2023)