Forest coverage accounts for more than 25 pc the country’s total area

Forest coverage accounts for more than 25 pc the country’s total area
A teak plantation in Pyay District in Bago Region. (Photo-Hsan Htoo Aung).
A teak plantation in Pyay District in Bago Region. (Photo-Hsan Htoo Aung).
Published 22 April 2019

Currently, the forest covers more than 25 per cent of the country’s total area and the forest conservation area, up to six per cent, said Union Minister for Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation Ohn Win.

The Union Minister explained the facts about the ministry’s undertaking during its three-year tenure in office, the State-owned newspapers reported.

During three-year tenure of the current government in office, the ministry established 53 reserve forests and protected forests (nearly 10 acres). Now the forest coverage area reached over 42 million, accounting for 25.31 per cent of the country’s total area, said the Union Minister.

During this tenure, the ministry formed four forest conservation regions covering over 130,000 acres. The number of forest conservation regions has reached 43 (over 9.7 million acres), making up 5.83 per cent of the country’s total area.

According to the FAO’s calculation, the forest coverage area was nearly 49 per cent of the country’s total area in 2015.

In order to increase the forest coverage area and satisfy timber demand, the ministry is working on the establishment of more State-owned forest plantations, the Union Minister added.

During three years, the Forest Department can enact the new law on the conservation of natural forest areas. In addition, the department drafted the bylaws and sent it to the Union Attorney-General’s Office to seek advice.

The department has established more than 42,000 acres of watershed and mangrove plantations in addition to the establishment of teak, Pyinkado, Padauk and pine plantations.

Thanks to the establishment of more community-owned forest plantations, more than 320,000 acres of  community-owned forest plantations have been established in the time of the current government. Now community-owned forest has reached more than 610,000 acres.

The department made efforts to ensure the sustainable development of research works. Till now, the department has compiled 80 research papers. A total of 25 research papers appeared in the international research books.