Environmental conservation group to distribute free saplings to support greening of Arakan State

14 Feb 2023

DMG Newsroom
14 February 2023, Mrauk-U

Sein Lan Si, a Mrauk-U-based environmental conservation group that is mainly engaged in environmental protection activities, aims to distribute and grow trees for free throughout Arakan State, and has been nurturing more than 20,000 saplings since January of this year.

Acacia mangium, pterocarpus macrocarpus and royal poinciana are being planted and will be distributed free of charge if ordered from any township in Arakan State, said Ko Myat Min Soe, a spokesperson for Sein Lan Si.

“No matter which township you are from, if you want to plant trees, you can join us. We will donate the seedlings from this nursery next rainy season,” he added.

The seedlings are being planted with the support of Mrauk-U social charity organisations and Arakanese organisations both at home and abroad, and will be distributed throughout Arakan State during the next monsoon season. According to the environmental conservation group, the reason for doing so is to counteract deforestation and support the greening of Arakan State.

Sein Lan Si has planted more than 1,000 trees along the Kyauktaw-Mrauk-U highway and in the neighbourhoods and villages of Mrauk-U Township.

The group’s activities are a force for environment conservation in Arakan State, where there is a need for many activities of this nature, said Ko Myo Lwin, an environmental activist and resident of Ann town.

“At a time when there is deforestation in Arakan State and transplanting is too little too late, it is good news that a group that will donate trees for free appears. There is a need for many such groups to emerge in Arakan State,” he added.

Ko Myo Lwin pointed out that there is still a lack of knowledge about environmental conservation in Arakan State, and there is a need for systematic conservation efforts.

Arakan State’s northern townships experienced low rainfall in 2022, and many agricultural lands were damaged due to a combination of deforestation and climate change. Officials from Arakan State’s Department of Environmental Conservation have said that there is an urgent need to replant forests and preserve the existing trees in Arakan State as similarly inadequate rainfall totals and drought are expected in the coming years.