Cash for Tree Planting initiative to begin with tourism sector employees affected by COVID-19

With close to 40,000 people working in the hotel and tourism sector in the country affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ministry for Forestry will kick-off their Cash for Tree Planting initiative for employees working in this sector.

Permanent Secretary for Forestry, Pene Baleinabuli says they are looking at employing hotel workers who are living in villages in the Western Division since most of these people are landowners themselves.

Baleinabuli says when people look at the Western Division, there is a lot of uncultivated land which can be used for this initiative.

The initiative will also involve the raising of native seedlings for personal and commercial use.

The Permanent Secretary says they are still discussing all the relevant details about this initiative and they are hoping to roll out this initiative as soon as possible.

Baleinabuli says others who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic can apply for this initiative but their first approach will be for those in the tourism sector.

Trees planted under this program will be added towards the Ministry’s "30 Million Trees in 15 Years" initiative.

More details will be released later.