Astana (TDI): Kazakhstan has planted approximately 970 million saplings since 2021 and plans to plant over one billion more by 2027, according to the government’s press service.
This initiative was discussed at a government meeting on October 8, focusing on expanding the country’s forest cover.
Minister of Ecology and Natural Resources, Yerlan Nysanbayev, highlighted that Kazakhstan’s forested area has increased by 267,000 hectares over the past five years.
Prime Minister Olzhas Bektenov reiterated the government’s commitment to planting two billion trees, aiming to expand the forest area to 14.5 million hectares.
“This long-term effort is essential for preserving biodiversity and improving the environmental situation for future generations,” Bektenov stated, underscoring the importance of forest preservation and expansion.
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The meeting also addressed the need to enhance measures against illegal logging and forest fires, with the government allocating 52 billion tenge ($106 million) this year for the purchase of 1,384 firefighting equipment units.
Early detection systems for forest fires currently cover over 900,000 hectares, significantly reducing the damage caused by fires, as seen in Burabay National Park, where forest fire areas have been reduced 50-fold.
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Nysanbayev also pointed out efforts to reforest the dried bed of the Aral Sea, with trees and shrubs planted over 600,000 hectares, including 413,000 hectares in the last four years.
