The Iranian Minister of Agriculture said that protecting natural resources, planting trees, and developing green spaces with public participation is the top priority of the Ministry.

Due to climate change, we are facing unpredictable conditions and everyone must make fundamental efforts to protect our natural resources and assets, including rangelands, forests, and trees, Mohammad Ali Nikhbakt said on Tuesday on the occasion of Iran’s National Tree Planting Day.

The Minister emphasized that protecting and maintaining natural resources and the environment is of utmost importance.

In order to protect natural resources and combat climate change, the large-scale One Billion Tree Planting Scheme was launched on November 22, 2023, with public and institutional participation, he noted.

Nikbakht further said that about 300 million seedlings have been produced this year in the two departments of Natural Resources and Watershed Management and Horticulture of the Ministry.

The Minister said that various organizations, including associations, the armed forces, the Ministry of Education, fishermen, nomads, and cooperatives have joined hands to implement this national plan within four years.

He added that wood farming is also part of the One Billion Tree Planting Scheme, and the Natural Resources and Watershed Management Organization of Iran has conducted technical studies to make part of this plan economically viable through wood farming.

The senior also said that one of the activities in the field of natural resources is watershed management and water recharge, and these projects play an important role in developing green spaces, preventing soil erosion, and controlling floods, and are among the priorities of the Ministry of Agriculture.