INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
TEHRAN - Leader of the Islamic Revolution Ayatollah Ali Khamenei marked the National Tree Planting Day by planting three saplings on
planting saplings in preserving the environment, emphasizing that with the help of the people, it is possible to plant one billion
saplings.Experts believe that in addition to planting fruit trees, trees that produce wood should be planted because the export of wood has
a significant effect on the country's economy, the Leader stressed.National Tree Planting Day is annually celebrated on the fifteenth day of
Esfand, the last month on the Iranian calendar
The day also marks the beginning of the National Week of Natural Resources.Last year, Ayatollah Khamenei emphasized the need to develop
non-fossil sources of energy, including renewables, and expand activities to protect the environment.The destruction of forests and the
environment and vegetation is equivalent to the degradation of national interests, and the depletion of part of the forests for
construction, except in emergencies, is definitely to the detriment of the nation, he explained.The Leader further called on people to plant
and protect trees, saying that doing such important work requires national support
Tree planting is among the activities that can prevent the disappearance of forests around and inside cities through expanding vegetation
cover.One of the serious tasks toward protecting the environment is to preserve the two natural assets and vital reserves, namely water and
soil, and to avoid taking them for granted
detrimental to national interests, the Leader said, noting that in Islam, hunting is allowed only if it (human) needs to be fed, otherwise,
it is illegal, and even hunting trips are forbidden, so we must take steps to prevent illegal hunting seriously and pay attention to the
issue of wildlife conservation.The Forests, Rangelands, and Watershed Management Organization plans to produce and plant one billion
saplings across the country over the course of four years.The Organization is determined to produce and plant one billion saplings with the
participation of people benefiting from capacities that exist in the country, Abbas-Ali Nobakht, head of the FRWMO, said in
space and paying more attention to natural resources and the environment is not a new issue, he said, adding that the Leader of the Islamic
Revolution, the President, and the Minister of Agriculture have always emphasized the need to promote the issue of tree planting and sapling
planting.In this line, mining organizations and industrial companies should be committed to participating in the sapling planting programs,
he stressed.Mostafa Jalili, an official with Natural Resources and Watershed Management Organization, has said that a budget amounting to
2.27 trillion rials (about $4.5 million) is projected to be spent on forestation plans.The national budget bill for the next Iranian
calendar year 1402, which starts on March 21, has allocated the budget for dealing with wind erosion as well as sand and dust storms, IRNA
