President Shavkat Mirziyoyev, during a trip to Karakalpakstan on February 23, familiarized himself with the afforestation progress of the dried bottom of the Aral Sea, the presidential press service said.
Recall that during a trip to Muynak in 2018, Shavkat Mirziyoyev set the task of planting salinity-resistant plants at the bottom in order to prevent the spread of millions of tons of dust and toxic salts from the dried bottom of the Aral Sea.
In recent years, over 1.5 million hectares of tugai forests have been planted on the dry seabed. In difficult natural conditions, it was possible to plant about 6,000 tons of seeds of desert plants such as saxaul, buckwheat, kandym, cherkez. More than 4,000 workers and 1,600 pieces of equipment, including aircraft, were involved in the work.
This year it is planned to afforest another 100,000 hectares. Currently, work is underway on 26 thousand hectares, 562 tons of seeds have been harvested. In addition, a nursery with an area of 100 hectares is being created.
The President talked with ecologists and forestry specialists. He gave instructions to expand scientific research, create plant varieties that correspond to the soil of the region and increase the area of tugai plantations.
The head of state also instructed to develop a five-year national program to restore the flora and fauna of the Aral Sea region.
