Through the Forestry Masterplan, government hopes to attract an investment of around R24.9 billion in the sector and create more than 100 000 jobs within the five-year implementation period.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cThe Forestry Masterplan seeks among others to empower communities to be owners and managers of forestry resources in the rural areas of South Africa.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cFurthermore, it intends to assist to optimise timber production by ensuring that beneficiaries receive post-settlement support and, where feasible, they are linked to a strategic partner,\u201d Deputy Minister of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment, Makhotso Sotyu said on Thursday.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Addressing the launch of the National Arbor Month, Sotyu said to date about 6 000 jobs have been created and R11.5 billion has been invested mainly in down-stream processing industries.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE), through a directive from the President, is leading the rollout of the Ten Million Trees Programme.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The aim is to plant at least two million trees countrywide each year for five years through a coordinated effort by government, non-government organisations, community-based organisations, the corporate sector and the general public.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
In the first year of implementation, the coordinated effort saw the planting of 850 000 trees. Of this total number about 198 000 trees were planted by the public.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
As part of the launch activities, the Deputy Minister planted trees at the Shabalala Secondary School and in a few homes in Shabalala Trust Village, in Hazyview, Mpumalanga.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
\u201cTo heighten the Presidential Ten Million Trees programme, at least 7 000 trees will be planted in the Ehlanzeni District by the end of the Arbor Month 2022. This includes 3 000 in Mbombela and 1 000 in each for the other four municipalities in the district,\u201d Sotyu said.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Annually, the department in partnership with Total Energies South Africa celebrates National Arbor Month campaign from 1\u2013 30 September.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
The campaign is aimed at sensitising South Africans about the need to conserve, protect and plant trees for environmental and human related ideals.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
National Arbor Month is being celebrated under the theme: \u201cForests and Sustainable Production and Consumption.\u201d <\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Source: South Africa Government News Agency<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Through the Forestry Masterplan, government hopes to attract an investment of around R24.9 billion in the sector and create more than 100 000 jobs within the five-year implementation period.\u201cThe Forestry Masterplan seeks among others to empower communi…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"yoast_head":"\n