First Lady to launch tree planting movement

Jakarta  (ANTARA News) - First Lady Ani Yudhoyono, to be accompanied by Mrs. Mufidah Jusuf Kalla, will plant breadfruit and coconut trees to mark the launch of a tree planting movement for women at Ancol Ocean Park, here, on December 1. 

The theme of last year`s movement was "Plant and Care 10 Million Trees" in an afford to help deal with the global warming. The theme of the 2008 tree planting movement will be "The food resilience of family." 

"Therefore, this year we will plant fruit-bearing and edible trees. Besides planting trees, we will also provide fingerlings to the people," Erna Witoelar, coordinator of the tree planting movement, said here on Thursday. 

The nation-wide movement will focus on planting and caring of edible trees, medicinal trees, and fingerling breeding for daily consumption of the people, according to Erna Witoelar, a former environmental affairs minister. 

"This is to ease the impacts of the current global food and energy crises which have affected the Indonesian people, especially the women," she said. 

To support the tree planting movement, the forestry ministry has provided around five million seedlings of breadfruit, durian, mango and other fruit-bearing trees. 

The fishery and marine ministry provides 30 million of fresh water fingerlings and 500 tons of seaweed seeds. Meanwhile, the agriculture ministry gives 2 million seedlings of horticultural trees and 2.5 million of crops seedlings. 

Witoelar said that the 2008 movement would be used as a momentum to empower the country`s women to help deal with the food and health problems. 

President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono is scheduled to launch the Indonesian Tree Planting Day 2008 on November 28, 2008. 

First Lady Kristiani Herrawati Bambang Yudhoyono has won a United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) award for her efforts in encouraging Indonesian women to plant 1 million trees simultaneously across the country last year.