Last Saturday, Rwanda marked the 38th tree planting and afforestation day by starting the process of planting 32 million seedlings which will be used in the reforestation of 15,000 ha of forest. The planting was launched at the monthly community service Umuganda with residents participating in their villages.
The Minister of Natural Resources Stanislas Kamanzi said Rwanda will continue to increase the surface covered by forests as they significantly contribute to sustainable development.
“The plan is that in 2018, 30% of our country’s land will be covered by forests, up from 28.3%. Every year, we will be planting trees on 8,150 ha to achieve that target“, said Minister Kamanzi.
Every year, Rwanda celebrates the Tree Planting and Afforestation Day and dedicates a whole season to activities around planting trees and afforestation. It is a good opportunity to raise awareness on the importance of increasing forest resources.
The tree planting and afforestation activities will be carried out in all districts with the planting of woodlots, agroforestry and fruit trees.