HUYE- Environment and Natural Resources Minister, Stanislas Kamanzi has called upon local authorities to sustain the tree planting campaign in there communities so as to fill the gap of the desired forested area in the country.

He said this on Saturday while closing the national tree-plating week in Kigoma Sector, in the Southern Province where trees were planted on an area covering 30 hectares belonging to a local resident.

The tree planting week, held for the 34th time in Rwanda kicked off November 16, in Nyabihu, Northern Province, where trees were planted on an area that covers 46 hectares.

Addressing Kigoma residents after the exercise, Minister Kamanzi called on residents to continue planting trees even after the week.

"We intend to have 30 percent of land in the country covered by forests, this will only be achieved through a sustained tree planting campaign on government and private land,” noted the Minister.

Kamanzi called upon schools and churches to plant trees within their respective vicinities to protect the environment. This, he said is one way of increasing the acreage of land covered by forests in the country.

He noted that trees are a potential source of income especially through charcoal burning and timber production. He called upon residents to take proper care of the trees because of their economic and environmental protection value.

The minister urged the local people on proper settlement by living in designated community settlements locally known as Imidugudu so as to protect the environment.

He commended district authorities for the successes registered in terracing steep slopes which have kept soil erosion at bay.

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