The Minister of Environment and Natural Resources, Miguel Ceara Hatton, announced the implementation of a set of actions to maintain the momentum of the national reforestation plan, through which more than 6.5 million trees have been planted thanks to the constant work of the members of the institution’s brigades and the support of public, academic, environmental and civil society entities.
Among the actions is the formation of 100 additional brigades for the National Plan for Reforestation and Restoration of Forest Ecosystems 2024, coordinated with military personnel and representatives of civil society organizations.
Ceara Hatton headed the last of three meetings that took place with provincial and municipal governors, heads of reforestation brigades, the National Directorate of Reforestation and the Vice-Ministry of Forest Resources for the territorial planning of the plantations to be carried out in 2024.
During the meeting, which took place at the Hodelpa Hotel, the minister said that reforestation is a national priority for several reasons, including the protection of water sources.
“We are among the 15 most vulnerable countries in the world due to the impact of climate change. So we have to work hard internally to build capacity and reduce vulnerability,” he said, recalling that the forest mass contributes to this purpose.
“Water is life. Without water we don’t have much chance of survival. So, this is the task ahead of us. It is not a game, it is a challenge. It is a priority and we all have to work together,” said Ceara Hatton during the meeting, organized by the Vice Ministry of Forestry Resources and Protected Areas.
The activity was attended by Vice Ministers José Elías González and Federico Franco, as well as the director of the National Environmental Protection Service, Captain René Isidro Rodríguez Álvarez.
Also Erasmo Pichardo, national coordinator of the provincial directorates of the MMARN and head of the Santiago office. In addition, the director of Reforestation, Elías Figuereo, and representatives of the Sabana Clara and Quita Espuela projects. Also, Vice Admiral Luis Rafael Lee Ballester, general director of C5I.
The Vice-Minister of Forestry Resources, José Elías González, urged those present to continue their efforts to multiply tenfold the identification of land available for planting.
Meanwhile, the general director of C5I indicated that “our officers are going to accompany them, gradually entering a process that is 100% underway, because I see that there is not a day in which there is no reforestation or activity in the nurseries”.
“We are going to develop a work of coordination, support, logistics, planning, to go beyond the proposed goal and exceed 230,000 tasks,” said the officer.
Source: Presidencia.gob.do
