Turkey to plant 11 mln trees on Nov 11

ANKARA

Turkey will plant 11 million trees on Nov. 11 across the country, according to a written statement by the General Directorate of Forestry.

In order to compensate the damage done by recent forest fires in Turkey’s coastal provinces and to raise awareness for the environment, the General Directorate of Forestry will plant 11 million trees on Nov. 11, at 11.11 a.m. With the event, Turkey aims to set a new Guinness World Record.

The 11 million saplings will be planted in a timespan of three hours, concurrently in all 81 provinces of the country. Some 2,023 different locations across Turkey will be reforested.

“From students to military troops, non-governmental organizations and state’s bodies, we will plant 11 million saplings. It is planned that approximately 1 million citizens will participate in the event,” the directorate’s statement read.

The event will be carried out with the joint efforts of provincial directorates, municipalities and governors’ offices, the statement added.

Many ministers have voiced their support in the event, saying such an activity is meaningful at a time Turkey struggles with many forest fires.

“Saplings are hope, they are the future. I am wholeheartedly supporting this meaningful project, for a more green Turkey,” said Fuat Oktay, Turkey’s vice president.

Some 66,648-hectare area in Turkey has been damaged due to forest fires in the last decade. After the fires, over 75 million saplings were planted to compensate the damage.

Article 169 of the Constitution stipulates that any burned forestland should be reforested.