Ulaanbaatar
"One Billion Trees" National Campaign Takes Wider Strides
Politics
Ulaanbaatar, May 13, 2024 /MONTSAME/. President of Mongolia Khurelsukh Ukhnaa participated in the commencement of the Spring Tree Planting Day and planted trees with over 80 children at the “Friendship Forest” Garden in Dambadarjaa on May 11, 2024.
Forests currently cover only about 8 percent of Mongolia's land. President envisions that afforesting about 50 percent of the nation’s territory will create a comfortable ecosystem for habitation. President emphasized that tree planting and cultivation are pivotal in combating desertification.
The “One Billion Tree” National Campaign has notably shifted the perception and stance of citizens, businesses, and organizations regarding the significance of forest ecosystems in mitigating the adverse effects of climate change, desertification, yellow dust storms, and soil erosion. President Khurelsukh Ukhnaa commended the dedication of those involved in tree planting.
President encouraged every family, enterprise, and organization to actively engage in tree planting and maintenance within their properties and public spaces to live in a healthy and green environment.
President Khurelsukh met with participants of the seedling trade fair and participated in an educational excursion, which introduced forest benefits, and in a training themed "Forest is Like…".
The budget allocated in 2024 for the “One Billion Trees” National Campaign will enable the planting of 3.1 million trees to forest and reforest 4 thousand hectares of land and marshes near rivers and lakes and will also help to inspect 8 million hectares for forestry planning and evaluation. With this budget, we also plan to create 500 km of fire breaks to prevent wildfire and reforest old firebreaks. We will also combat destructive insects in 330 thousand hectares of land to prevent infestation and the drying up of 1.2 billion trees. We will clean and care for 3 thousand hectares of forest and create 130 hectares of firebreaks. It will also provide technical support and equipment for tree nurseries.
“The National Day of Tree Planting” is celebrated annually on the second Saturday of May and October, a tradition upheld since 2010.
