Strive for enlargement of forest areas to benefit the people

September 13

 

T HE land of Myanmar is covered with thick foliage of 29,701,617.85 acres of 828 forest reserves and 13,014,703.59 acres of protected public forests.

 

Barren hills are gradually greened in all parts of the country thanks to concerted efforts of administrative bodies, departmental personnel and locals. It proves the gradual improvement of climatic conditions in the country. For the time being, the government removed the forest lands from the list due to the expansion of public residences and farmlands while setting more forest lands on the edge of forests that are too far from the residents.

 

The government has been dealing with the greening tasks in cancellation of forest areas for improvement of socio-economic life of the local people through the cooperation of the relevant departments. It is because those people residing in the forest areas are primarily engaged in agriculture and livestock breeding tasks. A total of 22,412.96 acres of forest reserves and protected public forests close to the public residences were removed from the list of forests from 2016 to 2020.

 

Moreover, a total of 1,021,888.58 acres of forest reserves and protected public forests were also removed from the forest list from 1986 to 2011 and 633,455.3 acres of land from 2010 to 2016, totalling 1,677,756.84 acres of forest lands, accounting for 3.93 per cent of the existing forest lands.

 

In fact, it is not to be concerned about the loss of forest land. The Myanmar Forest Policy (1995) and the master plan of the national forest sector (2030-2031 financial year) are being implemented for ensuring the 30 per cent coverage of forest land across the country area during the project period. Upon completion of the project, the land of Myanmar would be covered with about one-third of greening.

 

In addition, the government tries to illustrate the arid region of the country with greening plants in various ways. So, the saplings were scattered from helicopters to the arid areas many times. Even thriving one of the dropped saplings will be beneficial for society.

 

Trees benefit the people where forests prevent climate change and global warming. As the fine weather can approve the continuation of all processes, all the people need to strive for thriving and extension of forests not only in urban but also in rural areas.