Governor Urges Oil Palm To Plant Trees

Bengkulu, Feb 3 (Antara) - Bengkulu Governor Junaidi Hamsyah has asked oil palm farmers in the area to plant trees for the success of the one billion tree plantation program. "We will establish regional regulation that requires oil palm farmers to plant trees," Junaidi said on Monday. Junaidi made these remarks during a ceremony held to mark the one billion tree plantation program at the Panjang Beach in Bengkulu province, along with the Executive Officer for Director General of Conservation and Forest Protection of Forestry Ministry Sony Partono. He added the regulation required oil palm farmers to plant at least five trees in each hectare of the land field. The Governor also asked farmers to plant trees as an alternate fence to border the field. "We will map out the rules soon so that farmers have a cornerstone to plant trees in oil palm fields," Junaidi stated. The Governor noted that planting trees in the oil palm fields could reduce environmental damage and boost safe water reservoirs. "The trees can reserve water and support the oil palm, which requires a lot of water," Governor said. He further said that several areas in Bengkulu that were used for oil palm plantation had begun experiencing water shortage. There are six districts in Bengkulu that have become the main focus area for oil palm plantation, such as Mukomuko, North Bengkulu, Central Bengkulu, Seluma, Kaur and South Bengkulu. Meanwhile, Sony said the government was committed to adding more trees in Bengkulu after a successful planting of one billion trees on 2013. "We are grateful to the administration and people of the Bengkulu province that supported the tree plantation program that helps reduce the greenhouse effect," Sony said.