Rwanda expects to reach its goal of 30% forest cover in three years, according to the Minister for Forestry and Mines, Christophe Bazivamo. If achieved this would be seven years ahead of the government’s pledge for 2020.
After Rwanda’s forest cover hit a nadir of 10%, the government began an aggressive tree-planting campaign. According to Bazivamo, the program has succeeded in raising the percentage to around 20% by planting some 116 million trees with a 60% survival rate.
The Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Forestry and Mines, Antoine Ruvebana, recently called on Rwandans to create a tree-planting culture, telling families and institutions to help bring back the nation’s forests.
The government is currently planning to plant 44 million more trees by the end of 2011.
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