Kazakhstan, Astana, Oct. 28 /Trend D.Mukhtarov/
Some 489 million tenges ($3.179 million) were spent in Kazakhstan in 2012 to the reproduction of forests and afforestation, the official reply of the Kazakh Minister of Environmental Protection, Nurlan Kapparov to the request of deputies of the Majilis (lower chamber) of the Kazakh Parliament said.
"In 2011, some 431.2 million tenges ($ 2.804 million) were spent to the reproduction of forests and afforestation, and 489 million tenges were spent in 2012," the response said.
Forest reproduction and afforestation, creation of green zone around the city of Astana, planting of greenery in settlements are carried out in Kazakhstan as part of the 'Zhasyl damu' state program which is meant for 2010-2014.
Kazakhstan is a forest-poor country. According to the forest inventory for January 1, 2013, the total area of the forest fund's lands and especially protected areas in Kazakhstan is 28.8 million hectares (10.6 per cent of the country's territory). The forested lands cover 12.5 million hectares. Some 4.6 per cent of the territory is woodlands.
According to the response in 2012 Kazakhstan's Committee of Forestry and Hunting initiated a draft presidential decree on including 'Forestry Workers Day', falling on the second Sunday of November, into the list of professional and other holidays.
"However, the draft decree was not supported," the response said.