MINISTER without portfolio in the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation, Matthew Samuda, has provided more details on the plan to plant some 3,000 trees on lands along Lady Musgrave, East King’s House in St Andrew.

Samuda, who first announced the plan to plant the trees during his presentation in the State of the Nation debate in the Senate last Friday, now says the planting will begin before Christmas.

He says these roadways are among three corridors slated for major road expansion works over the next 12 to 18 months with the other corridor being Arthur Wint Drive.

According to Samuda, the trees will be planted as the Government ramps up measures to increase the country’s forest cover under the National Tree Planting initiative.

He pointed out that an assessment of the areas showed that “there were numerous Government-owned lands that were not sufficiently covered with trees. Also, along those corridors are several privately held pieces of land that could also do with some more trees.

“It was estimated that the areas along Lady Musgrave and East King’s House roads, in particular, could take some 3,000 trees within a kilometre of where the road expansion will take place. Before Christmas, we will be out in the field and start to plant these 3,000 trees, which will significantly increase the tree cover in the upper St Andrew area,” said Samuda during his address to the inaugural staging of the Forestry Department’s National Forestry Conference at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston on Wednesday.

The two-day National Forestry Conference, which ended on Thursday, was part of a European Union-funded project to support productivity and growth in the forestry sector in Jamaica.

It was intended to identify opportunities to increase the economic benefits of forests without compromising their social and environmental value, under the theme ‘Forestry as a Business: Unlocking the Economic Potential of Jamaica’s Forests’.

Jamaica’s National Tree Planting initiative, launched by Prime Minister, Andrew Holness in October 2019, initially targeted the planting of three million trees over three years, ending October 2022.

However, the time line was extended to March 2023 due to COVID-19.

On Wednesday Samuda told the conference that as of November 1, more than 2.2 million trees have been planted and distributed under the initiative.

“It is estimated that these trees have translated into roughly 14,500 tonnes of carbon dioxide being absorbed, 49.2 tonnes of pollutants being removed from the atmosphere and some 574 million gallons of water being filtered,” said Samuda as he noted that the intention is to close out the financial year by achieving the target of planting three million trees.

Samuda argued that Jamaica, as a small island developing State, has made significant strides in managing its forests.

He commended the Forestry Department for its continued efforts in bringing matters relating to Jamaica’s forests to the forefront.

“It is absolutely crucial that we understand the value of our forests and attach the value in a way that creates sustainability,” said Samuda who had also used his presentation in the Senate to announce that approval has also been secured for the Forestry Department to plant ornamental and timber species along Highway 2000 as a part of the plan to streetscape this major roadway.