Campaign "Million trees for Serbia" started - afforestation of 2,500 ha of land announced

Afforestation campaign "Million trees for Serbia", which is organized by the Ministry of Environment Protection, started yesterday (March 5, 2008) with planting of lindon and oak trees in Belgrade's Botanical Garden.

Minister Saša Dragin pointed out that 1 million trees would be planted in various parts of Serbia, at total surface of 2,500 ha, which is equal to the surface of 4,000 football fields. He also added that the Ministry of Environment Protection had set aside 80m RSD for realization of that project, while 22m RSD had been provided from the funds of the National Investment Plan.

He pointed out that Serbia with forests on 26% of the territory was above European average, while Vojvodina with 6.8% and Banat with 4% were below the average.

The afforestation campaign will be realized in ten places in Serbia within next month and, according to the words of Dragin, mainly industrial zones will be afforested in the cities in order to create "tampon zones" between polluters and parts of the city where people live.

New 5,000 tons of oxygen will be released from the afforested surfaces, which will reduce presence of heavy metals and other pollutants from the land and water, improve microclimate, protection from wind and snow, and achieve significant decorative effects.

The Ministry included large number of public persons, members of associations of mentally disturbed persons, representatives of local communities and big number of experts in campaign "Million trees for Serbia".