About 750,000 seed balls will be scattered in the areas of Homalin Township, Sagaing Region, where forest depletion was caused by gold mining. 

The scattering and cultivation of seeds stated on May 23 and last till the end of May, said Aye Min Hlaing, head of Homalin Township Forest Department. 

“We are scattering seed balls where plants cannot grow due to soil erosion caused by gold mining. They will grow when the rain comes. We will be doing this in nine places of the whole township. About 750,000 seed balls will be scattered on 480 acres of land. The work will finish by the end of May,” Aye Min Hlaing said. 

Scattering and growing seed balls do not cost much and the method has been used in upper Myanmar and the watershed areas of Inlay Lake. 

Seed balls are made with a mixture of seeds, humus, and clay. When rain falls, the clay will melt and seeds together with humus will grow. Previously, we used to scatter seed balls in arid areas of Myanmar and Inlay region. This is the first time here,” he added.