| | |  Editorials | Environmental | July 2008 
9,423,197 Trees, Final Total of National Reforestation Day
 Presidencia de la República
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The 77,213 trees planted last weekend in Nayarit bring the total number of trees planted on National Reforestation Day up to 9,423,197, reported Secretary of the Environment and Natural Resources, Juan Rafael Elvira Quesada.
Juan Rafael Elvira pointed out that as in the rest of Mexico on July 5, the reforestation day held last weekend in Nayarit was a great success, due to broad participation of society, as well as state and municipal government, which decided to take part, as a reflection of its environmental awareness.
As explained earlier, due to the local elections held in the state last Sunday, Nayarit was unable to take part on a massive scale like the rest of the country.
At the same time, Juan Rafael Elvira Quesada said that Semarnat, in conjunction with the National Forestry Commission (Conafor) will check the development of the over 9 million trees planted during the National Reforestation Day on July 5.
He said that this reforestation has already begun to be evaluated by Conafor personnel in order to correct possible errors which tend to occur in this type of social plantations.
These actions, he said, will enable trees to put down roots and increase their likelihood of survival.
He remarked that of all the plantations carried out on July 5, 71% were rural and undertaken on plots of land previously established by the National Forestry Commission, most of whose owners are Pro-Tree beneficiaries, as a result of which maintenance to ensure that the plants develop favorably is guaranteed.
Conafor specialists are currently carrying out work that includes pruning, trimming, fencing, and weed control. He declared that the 9,345,984 trees form part of Mexico's pledge to the world to plant 280 million trees this year. The goal of the National Development Plan and the Mexico 2030 Grand Vision Project for this year is for Mexico not to lose its forests, which is what we Mexicans are working on,” he declared.
Lastly, Elvira Quesada thanked the Catholic Church for its collaboration in the "Plant a Tree and Be Part of History" campaign, as a result of which thousands of people took part in the reforestation day.
Source. Media and Communications Office. Information Department. Secretariat of the Environment and Natural Resources. (SEMARNAT).
SEMARNAT Invites Greenpeace to Join Society’s Efforts to Preserve the Environment
Presidencia de la República
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Mexico City - In response to declarations by Greenpeace Mexico’s representative that in 2007, “In order to achieve the goal of planting 253,208,686 trees in Mexico last year, as a result of the Pro-Tree program, nopal, maguey and other exotic species were planted, meaning that Mexico's forests have been the victim of this government program, spokesman for the Secretariat of the Environment and Natural Resources Fernando Carbonell Paredes declared that,
“First of all, we hail the fact that Greenpeace Mexico has finally acknowledged having the figure for the number of trees planted in 2007, published by the National Forestry Commission, which it said had not been published.
Second, Greenpeace Mexico is attempting to ignore the fact that Mexico has several regions and types of terrain with various types of weather throughout the year and it is precisely these features that determine the type of tree to be planted in each region. Since Mexico has an enormous diversity of forest species, the different types that exist are taken into account, since it would be unproductive to plant only pine trees throughout the country. In 2007, 108 different species were planted according to the zone and climate of each region, which are now flourishing.
Third, we are surprised by Greenpeace Mexico's declarations that, “Reforesting does not solve Mexico’s forestry problem,” and “R.I.P. for Mexico’s forests if Pro-tree Continues,” (bulletin headings) which are a contradiction in terms.
Fourth, saying that there are “Pro-Tree victims” fails to acknowledge the fact that in 2007 alone, the Pro-Tree Program benefited 6,858,130 people, since it is not only a reforestation program but one with over 40 variables that combats poverty, recovers forest mass, restores land and increases the productivity of Mexico's forest and jungles. It targets forestry communities and ejidos, which it provides with financial support, payment in kind and technical assistance for undertaking the restoration, conservation and sustainable use of the country’s forests, jungles and arid zones. We suggest that the people at Greenpeace Mexico consult the categories this program comprises at the following website: www.conafor.gob.mx.
Lastly, Semarnat was surprised that Greenpeace Mexico was attempting to discredit a historic mobilization such as the National Reforestation Day, “Plant a Tree and Be Part of History” held on July 5, in which over half a million people, religious associations, schools, housewives, senior citizens, children, civil servants, boy scouts, state and municipal governments took part in order to contribute to the environment. The Semarnat spokesman urged Greenpeace Mexico to participate in causes that will benefit Mexico’s environment.
Source: Head Office of Media and Communications Information Department. Secretariat of the Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT). |
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