Ethiopia Plans to Plant 10 Million Indigenous Trees in 3 Years

Addis Ababa, May 15/2020(ENA) Some 10 million indigenous trees will be planted in Ethiopia during the coming three years, according to Biodiversity Institute.

Biodiversity Institute Deputy Director-General, Feleke Woldeyes told ENA that although Ethiopia planted over four billion trees between May and October last Ethiopian year the focus on planting indigenous trees remains negligible.

Out of the over four billion trees planted last Ethiopian year only 1 million were indigenous trees, it was learned.

There is now a plan to increase the number by tenfold in the coming three years, the deputy director-general said.

According to him, the Environment Forest and Climate Change Commission will lead and coordinate the nationwide indigenous trees in the coming three years.

The institute and commission will jointly lead the implementations in regions in cooperation with three ministries, Environment and Forest Research Institute as well as Wildlife Conservation Authority, among others.

Feleke, who pointed out the multiple benefits of indigenous plants for sustainable climate, productivity and preserving the biodiversity, added that “30 different kinds of indigenous trees suitable for various agro-ecological zones have been identified.”

He stated that Ethiopia is among the 20 mega diverse countries in biodiversity resources in the world as it has got over 6,000 plant species.

The country's current forest coverage is 15.5 percent after consecutive planting initiatives and campaigns as well as after the inclusion of dense lowland forests rather than plantings in high lands, it was learned.

The nation is going to plant 5 billion seedlings this season by building on the success of the “Green legacy” project which planted 4 billion trees seedlings last Ethiopian year.