Inhil Plants 31.6 Million Trees During National Planting Movement

id inhil, plants 316, million trees, during national, planting movement

 Inhil Plants 31.6 Million Trees During National Planting Movement

Tembilahan, Riau, (Antarariau.com) - The Indragiri Hilir (Inhil) District, Riau Province, has planted 31.6 million trees over the past year as part of the activities to promote the National Tree Planting Movement.

"I hope the tree planting activities will continue, and its success will be maintained. We must not only plant trees but also take care of them to ensure that they will grow," Inhil District Head H.M. Wardan stated while attending a function to observe the Indonesian Tree Planting Day (HMPI) and the National Tree Planting Month (BMN), at Concong Dalam village, Inhil, Riau, on Tuesday.

The district head urged the younger generation to plant trees and preserve the environment, so that the future generations can inherit a better life.

Tree planting activities will help preserve the environment and improve the local economy, according to Wardan.

The Inhil district administration is committed to preserve its mangrove forests covering 100,211.23 hectares and to designate 30 percent of its forest area as protected forest, he affirmed.

On November 29, President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo attended a national commemoration of HMPI 2014 and BMN held in Tempursari village, Wonogiri District, Central Java.

Some 37 thousand tree saplings were planted, including a teakwood tree by Jokowi and Magnolia × alba, also known as the White Champaca, by First Lady Iriana Widodo, at the venue of the commemoration ceremony.

"Preserved Forests to Support Food Sovereignty, Water and Renewable Energy" was the theme of this year s HMPI and BMN activities, according to Environmental Affairs and Forestry Minister Siti Nurbaya.

"We invite and encourage the public to preserve the ecosystem in order to improve the quality of the environment and to provide food, preserve water, and to obtain renewable energy," the minister stated while elaborating on the theme.

The government has empowered inhabitants living in the surrounding forest areas to increase their income through community-based forestry programs, Nurbaya stated.(F012)