[NYTr] Cuba Contributes to World Reforestation Campaign

[All the News That Doesn't Fit]

Agencia Cubana de Noticias (ACN)
http://ainch.ain.cu/mailman/listinfo/ingles


Cuba Contributes to World Reforestation Campaign

Havana, Aug 10 (acn) Cuba has planned to plant during more than 135
millions trees in the last half of 2007 as a response to the United 
Nations-promoted international campaign entitled "Lets Plant the 
Planet," to encourage world reforestation.

National Forestry Director Elias Linares noted that Cuba is hoping to 
cover 12.6 percent of the world's overall goal through a countrywide 
campaign that will run until December, according to a report by Granma 
Internacional.

He explained that in the island, some 60,000 to 64,000 hectares are
planted every year as part of the national program called "Plant your
Tree."

The action has led to a steady growth of forested areas on the island, 
covering nearly 25 percent of the national territory, said Linares.

"Cuba, Uruguay, Chile and Costa Rica are among the only countries in 
Latin America and the Caribbean witnessing the growing of their forest,"
stated Linares.

The forestry specialist said that forest fires are the greatest threat
to green areas in Cuba, especially during the drought season, spanning 
from January to May.

He spoke about a recent fire that burned for 47 days in the Cienaga de 
Zapata (Zapata Swamp) area, the largest wetland in the Caribbean.
Some 6,000 hectares including grasslands, boggy lands and forests
caught fire due to the drought. The damages caused by the fire are 
still being assessed.