Indonesia to plant 79 million trees in single day [View All]

[RestoreGore]

http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/10/05/asia/AS-GEN-Indonesia-Deforestation.php

Indonesia to plant 79 million trees in single day
The Associated Press

Published: October 4, 2007

JAKARTA, Indonesia: Indonesia, which is losing its forests faster than any other country, hopes to plant 79 million trees in a single day ahead of a major U.N. climate change meeting later this year, a forestry ministry spokesman said Friday.

"We aim to get Indonesia greener as soon as we can and reduce forest degradation as much as possible," said Masyhud.

The trees, mostly eucalyptus and teak, will be planted across the world's fourth largest nation on Nov. 28, he said. The country's president will take part in the campaign, said Masyhud.

Masyhud said saplings would be distributed in advance to more than 70,000 villages across the country, where community elders, government officials and villagers would plant them.

Environmental group Greenpeace said in May that Indonesia was losing its forests faster than any other country, with the equivalent of about 300 soccer pitches destroyed every hour. The forestry ministry did not contest the statement.

Greenpeace forest campaigner Hapsoro said Friday the planting of trees was admirable, but was almost pointless in the face of rapid deforestation.

"Planting new trees is good, but Greenpeace stays firm in calling on the government to temporarily stop all logging to allow forest re-growth," he said.
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Now if they are all allowed to grow, then it might actually make a difference.