YANGON, Sept. 7 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar has designated 45,493 more acres of reserved forest and protected public forest areas of the fiscal year (FY) 2023-2024, deputy permanent secretary of the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation Daw Zin Mar Tun told Xinhua on Thursday.
From FY 2001-2002 to FY 2030-2031, efforts are being made to designate 30 percent of the country's total area as reserved forest and protected public forest areas, she added.
The ministry on Aug. 30 designated 1,962 acres of land in Kyunsu Township, Tanintharyi Region of southern Myanmar, as Masanpa mangrove-protected public forest area.
On the same day, the ministry designated 40,511 acres of land in Homalin Township, Sagaing region of western Myanmar, as Nanyok protected public forest area and 3,020 acres of land in Kutkai Township, Shan State of eastern Myanmar, as Kaung Kha protected public forest area.
The aim of the moves was to conserve watershed areas, stabilize the ecosystem, fulfill the basic needs of local residents, protect biodiversity, mitigate climate change, and support agricultural activities, the ministry said.
In the 2022-2023 fiscal year, the Southeast Asian country had a total of 89,554.57 acres of reserved forest and protected public forest areas, it said.
