KUCHING: Some 50,000 tree seedlings will be distributed by the Sarawak Forest Department under its Le Tour de Restoration, or Greening Sarawak campaign.

       Chief Minister Datuk Patinggi Abang Johari Tun Openg said the campaign, organised in conjunction with the state Civil Service Innovation Day, would be held in various locations statewide such as Sri Aman, Sarikei, Sibu, Kapit, Bintulu, Miri and Lawas.

       "For a start, the department will distribute seedlings of local forest species and fruit trees to 15 agencies to encourage public participation in the campaign," he said when launching the campaign at the Sarawak Legislative Assembly complex here on Thursday (Sept 30).

       Abang Johari said forest landscape restoration was the state government's main agenda in greening Sarawak.

       Under the 12th Malaysia Plan, he said, the state government was allocating RM62mil to the Forest Department to carry out restoration programmes throughout Sarawak.

       "This year we have given RM10mil," he said.

       In addition, the Federal Government has allocated RM4mil under its 100 Million Tree-Planting Campaign and RM6.37mil for mangrove planting and social forestry to the state Forest Department this year.

       Abang Johari said Sarawak was supporting the national tree-planting campaign, with the Forest Department aiming to plant 35 million trees from this year to 2025.

       "We are confident we can achieve this target because last year, we planted 10,452,607 trees while this year, as of Sept 30, we have planted 6.78 million trees throughout Sarawak," he said.