In a single day, 10,000 rows of trees were planted in 543 settlements in the Settlement Afforestation Program announced for the fourth time this year. The interest in the initiative launched by the Ministry of Agriculture is still huge. In the last three years, 46,000 rowan trees have already been planted in 1,500 settlements, despite this, there was a threefold oversubscription for the new quantity now available. The country’s largest inland afforestation program will continue in March with the delivery of row trees.
At the beginning of 2024, the Ministry of Agriculture announced the fourth phase of the Settlement Afforestation Program for the greening of settlements with less than 10,000 inhabitants. After pre-registration, the local governments could apply for another 10,000 row trees from February 1: 4,000 row trees were available for the spring planting period, while 6,000 row trees were available for the autumn. The available quantity was used up within a single day.
Those interested this time as well They could choose from 13 tree species, a minimum of 10 and a maximum of 30 rowan trees per settlement. The trees are container-sized or ball-bearing, with a trunk circumference of 10-14 centimeters and a height of 2-5 meters including the ball. In order to ensure professional planting, support stakes, covering mulch and protective grids are still provided for each tree.
On this occasion too, trees reached every county. Most successful applications came from Somogy county, which means 48 settlements. The smallest applicant settlement was Lendvajakabfa with 27 inhabitants, while the largest was Balatonalmádi (9,943 inhabitants).
Within the framework of the program, the trees will begin to be delivered in mid-March, and the planting will be carried out by the requesting municipalities and local NGOs. The 10,000 rowan trees to be planted and their transport are provided by KEFAG Kiskunsági Erdzesti és Faipari Zrt. The program is coordinated by the National Forestry Association. More information a www.orszagfasitas.hu page is available.
In 2020, the Ministry of Agriculture announced the Settlement Afforestation Program as part of the National Afforestation Program, thanks to which around 46,000 rowan trees have been planted in nearly 1,500 settlements so far. Its raison d’être is not only tangible for the local population, but also represented a serious incentive for participation in afforestation tenders.
Increasing the area covered by trees in the country is still one of the priority objectives of the Ministry of Agriculture, which is indicated by the fact that in 2024, within the framework of the Common Agricultural Policy, afforestation tenders are given priority.
