[File Photo]

A total of 19.1 million trees have been planted under the 30 Million Tree Planting Program.

Minister for Fisheries and Forestry Kalaveti Ravu highlighted this in Parliament stating that the initiative aims at reforestation and climate change mitigation.

Ravu notes that approximately 14.9 million of the trees planted are pine, 776 thousand are mahogany, 931 thousand are mangroves and 17 thousand are sandalwood.

The remaining 2.5 million trees consist of native trees, fruit trees and teak.

Minister for Forestry Kalaveti Ravu

Ravu acknowledged the challenges faced in reforesting degraded landscapes, particularly the relatively lower survival rates of certain species in specific sites.

He explained that many factors affect the growth of seedlings, including drought, fires, animals, flooding, and the suitability of certain species to different sites. To address these issues, the Ministry has assisted vulnerable areas by erecting fences, constructing fire breaks, and ensuring proper land preparations.

Ravu noted that research conducted by the former Forestry Department had primarily focused on improving the growth of the two major plantation species, pine and mahogany, contributing to their current success.

However, he emphasized that other species are also vital to achieving their reforestation goals.

The research division of the Ministry, he adds has been conducting site-specific studies to improve the survival rates of species with higher mortality rates, ensuring better outcomes moving forward.