• Submitted by: admin
• Las Tunas
• 11 / 09 / 2006

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By Pastor Batista Valdés

With the reforestation of areas surrounding water reservoirs, lakes, and rivers, an important step has been taken in Cubas eastern province of Las Tunas for environmental preservation.

Between January and November 2006, 575 hectares of land were sown with fruit and timber-yielding trees on what specialists call hydro-regulating strips. This should have a future impact on the protection and improvement of soils, ecosystems, fluvial networks and rainfall regimes, say experts.

Las Tunas, one of the Cuban provinces most affected by soil erosion, is also among the areas with the highest percent of deforestation. A mere 13.6 percent of the province is covered with forests, and it also has one of the lowest rainfall averages in the country, 1,000 mm a year.

However, specialists state that this latest reforestation effort of hydro-regulating strips is not enough to reverse the present environmental situation and so a more ambitious plan has been discussed to plant a further 5,000 hectares with trees.

As 2006 has brought more rain than previous years, local forestry workers have had better conditions to carry out their activity. According to this year's projected targets, some 200 hectares still need to be planted before 2006 concludes.

Source: Granma