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Indian State Plants 10 Million Trees In One Day
Lucknow, India (AFP) Aug 07, 2007 India's most populous state planted more than 10 million trees in a single day Tuesday as part of an environmental awareness drive, authorities said. Farmers and students were mobilised to plant the record number of trees across the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, home to 160 million people. "In fact, we have overshot the target," said state forestry chief V.N. Garg in the capital Lucknow, adding nearly 10.5 million saplings had been planted. The official said the planting was being sent to the Guinness Book of records for a possible mention. "The sites can also be seen on Google Earth and the detailed reports (on plantation figures) are being sent to the office of the Guinness book of world records," Garg said. Less than a tenth of the state's landmass is under forest cover, compared to the national average of 23 percent. Garg said thousands of farmers and students planted 60 percent of the trees, with the Uttar Pradesh forestry department accounting for the rest. India's record was previously held by the southern state of Tamil Nadu, where more than 850,000 trees were planted in one day in 2006.
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East Africa Battles Deforestation With Butterfly Nets Gede, Kenya (AFP) Jul 26, 2007 Beating the air with her homemade net, Aicha Ali chases a swirling black and turquoise butterfly. Far from indulging in a frivolous pastime, this Kenyan mother is earning crucial family income. "I like capturing butterflies, it's fun because I make some money," she says, puffing as she wipes the sweat pearling on her nose after a frantic chase in the forest's sandy trails. Arabuko Sokoke on the Kenyan coast is known for its rare species of butterflies, which a development project called Kipepeo (butterfly in Swahili) is helping export to exhibits and museums in Europe and North America. |
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