President launches creation of the National Dendrology Park

Today, April 1, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev took part in a tree-planting event held as part of the nationwide Yashil Makon project and officially launched the creation of the National Dendrology Park, according to the presidential press service. 

According to the report, the head of state said during the event that the people of Uzbekistan have long had a tradition of planting trees and flowers with good intentions during Navruz, at the birth of a child, in household gardens, in public squares and alleys, and along roadsides. 

The report said that this noble tradition has, over the past five years, found modern expression in the nationwide Yashil Makon project, under which 200 million saplings are planted every year. 

Over this period, 942 green parks and public recreation areas have been created on more than 2,000 hectares of land, while New Uzbekistan gardens have been established in 47 residential areas. In mountain, desert, and foothill regions across the country, forests have been planted on 256,000 hectares. On the dried bed of the Aral Sea, protective green forest cover has been created on 2 million hectares. In addition, 60 kilometers of green belts have been formed in 33 districts to reduce the harmful impact of wind and dust storms. 

Last year, modern nurseries capable of producing 5.5 million ornamental tree saplings annually were launched in the Khojayli, Yangibozor, Gijduvon, Baliqchi, and Ohangaron districts. The report also noted that, for the first time this year, drought- and salinity-resistant halophyte gardens based on Chinese experience were established on 50 hectares in the Arnasoy, Qorakol, Muborak, Karmana, and Nukus districts to help combat desertification. Seeds grown there are expected to be used in the future to reduce soil salinity and improve fertility on thousands of hectares of land. 

Overall, the country’s green coverage has risen from 8 percent to 14.2 percent in a short period. Under a new decree signed by the president last week, Uzbekistan aims to increase total green coverage to 30 percent by 2030 and raise per capita green space to 10 square meters. 

To achieve this, a 10,000-hectare green zone will be established in Surkhandarya, while an 84-kilometer green wall will be created in Syrdarya. New forests will also be planted on 1 million hectares in Karakalpakstan, 300,000 hectares each in Navoi and Bukhara, and 85,000 hectares of desert land in Khorezm. In addition, each regional governor will be responsible for creating botanical and dendrology gardens on at least 100 hectares, as well as 20 shaded walking streets. 

The report said that, at a time when ecology and public health are becoming increasingly urgent issues, the recommendations of the International Center for Molecular Allergology will also play an important role in selecting and planting tree species suited to each region. 

Starting this year, green technical colleges will be launched in every region, with dual education programs set to train 10,000 specialists annually. Botanical and dendrology gardens will serve as practice bases for students of these colleges and as research sites for scientists. 

The president also proposed expanding the participation of residents and lawmakers in creating green parks in the regions. Under the previous My Garden program, each project could receive up to 250 million soums from the state budget. That amount will now be increased to 400 million soums. For every green garden and public park, up to one hectare of land will be allocated in locations chosen by residents, close to where they live and, most importantly, supplied with water. Beginning this season, each member of the Legislative Chamber will also be allocated 412 million soums to create green areas and gardens in their constituency. 

The head of state emphasized that popular Uzbek sayings such as “A good person leaves behind a garden,” “One sapling brings a thousand blessings,” and “When you have a child or celebrate a wedding, plant a tree” were not coined without reason. He said the importance of such national values is becoming more relevant than ever today. 

In this connection, the president called on mahalla leaders, elders, women’s representatives, and all active citizens to promote national customs, traditions, and values more widely in their communities, to form clubs and local groups, and to take the lead in planting saplings and flowers along streets, near homes, and on hillsides and open land. 

A National Dendrology Park is being established in the capital on an area of 108 hectares. This year, an in vitro laboratory being created under the Green University on the basis of the science-project-practice chain, as well as medicinal plant, seed production, and breeding centers, are also expected to begin operations there. 

The president expressed sincere gratitude to all participants, including Ismail Belen, chair of the United Nations Forum on Forests, Juliette Biao, director of the forum’s secretariat, and representatives of the diplomatic corps of foreign states in Uzbekistan. 

At the end of the event, President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, together with participants, planted ornamental saplings on the first five hectares of the National Dendrology Park. At the same time, nearly 21,000 people across Uzbekistan planted 88,000 saplings on another 164 hectares of land.