Iran has capacity to produce 400m seedlings annually,
minister says

The Iranian agriculture minister said the needed ecosystem
to plant one billion trees across the country in four years has been created.

“Some 930 million trees have been planted across Iran since
the victory of the Islamic revolution [in 1979] and also 30 million seedlings
have been produced since then. This [Iranian calendar] year (started on March
21, 2022), with the help of the people and the private sector, by reviving 238
abandoned and destroyed nurseries, we created the capacity to produce 400
million seedlings annually. Therefore, we are able to plant 250 million
seedlings each year,” Javad Sadatinejad said recently on the occasion of the
Natural Resources Week. 

Noting that Iran is the world's seventh highest emitter of
carbon dioxide, he said that the project aims to protect the ecosystem, improve
the scenery, respond to climate change, boost socio-economic development,
improve the quality of people’s lives and foster the sustainable growth of the
country.

The minister said that the effort needs collaboration from
the authorities, organizations and individuals, particularly the people.

Trees are among the most important species on the planet due
to offering over 30 useful services to the ecosystem, such as oxygen
production, wildlife species protection, soil and ground water resources
preservation, most importantly reducing air pollution by absorbing the
particulate matters.

Each tree produces 2 kilograms of oxygen annually, so one
hectare of trees can produce 2,500 to 3,000 oxygen which help 10 people to
breathe oxygen, while they can reduce the area’s temperature by 11 degrees.

As forests play a significant role in the carbon cycle, when
are cut down, not only does carbon absorption cease, but also the carbon stored
in the trees is released into the atmosphere as CO2 if the wood is burned or
even if it is left to rot after the deforestation process.