The Regional Secretary for Agriculture and Forestry stated that the Azores register "impressive figures" in regard to reforestation, adding that "about three million trees" were planted in the archipelago in the past four years, mostly cedar specimens, softwoods, hardwoods and endemic species.
 
A third of the area of the Autonomous Region of the Azores is occupied by forest. In recent years, there has been an increase of 85 hectares in terms of new planted areas, namely in uncultivated land and land with previous agricultural use.
 
João Ponte spoke in Praia da Vitória, the main stage of the celebrations of the International Day of Forests that is being celebrated today. The event included "Knowing and Feeling the Secrets of Forest," an activity organised by the Regional Directorate for Forest Resources and the City Hall. In involved the participation of students attending basic education, secondary and vocational training schools and the public in general.
 
The International Day of Forests is marked today on all the islands of the Azores in partnership the Regional Directorate for Forest Resources with local authorities and regional schools.
 
"The challenges for the future are huge insofar it is necessary to continue the reforestation work we have been carrying out in recent years," the Regional Secretary said, stressing the importance of forests in the Azores.
 
"Not only from an environmental point of view, as it contributes to the balance of the Region, but also from the standpoint of tourism, as the Region's green territory is one of its trademarks. It is also important from an economic perspective, because the forestry sector is efficiently organised and this is the result of the work that the Government and private entities carried out, which should be praised today," said João Ponte.
 
In his speech, he pointed out that "the path followed in recent years is extraordinary," adding that, currently there is "a great economic potential regarding the exploration of Cryptomeria."
 
João Ponte announced that, very soon, "the Region will launch another tender for the exploration of public forests to consolidate what is already a reality in the export of Azorean wood to North America and boost the sector in the future in terms of economic growth, job creation and development."
 
"Also in this area, the Regional Government has the responsibility to lead the way, conduct research, make experiments and guide the future activities of private entities. And this is what we have been doing," said the President of the Government.
 
In this sense, he pointed out, as examples, the Forest Improvement Programme; it has been running for 15 years with more than 26 experimental hectares of trials. He also mentioned the recent certification of public forest areas in São Miguel, where the FSC eco-label has been crucial in the conquest of international markets.