Belarus Plants 18,500 Hectares of New Forests This Spring

Belarus is proving that when communities come together for the environment, remarkable things happen.

The country has planted 18,500 hectares of new forests during this spring's planting season, bringing it within striking distance of its 19,000-hectare annual target. That's roughly 45,700 acres of new tree cover that will clean the air, provide wildlife habitat, and benefit future generations.

Viktor Zvertovsky, Deputy Head of the Forestry Department at the Ministry of Forestry, reports that most of the restoration work happens during spring when conditions are ideal. The Gomel and Mogilev regions led the charge, accounting for more than half of all newly planted forests.

But here's what makes this story truly special: over 58,000 volunteers joined the nationwide "Forest! Goodness! Order!" campaign. These everyday citizens rolled up their sleeves and directly created more than 3,000 hectares of forest plantations, with additional planting covering another 2,000 hectares.

The volunteers didn't stop at planting trees. They collected waste, cleared forest areas, maintained recreation sites, and restored more than 250 memorial obelisks. Thirty new commemorative alleys were established, connecting environmental action with community memory and pride.

The Ripple Effect

This mass mobilization shows how environmental restoration can unite a nation. When tens of thousands of people physically plant trees together, they're not just improving the landscape. They're building shared purpose and investing in a collective future.

The forestry teams are also thinking long term. They're selecting tree species that can adapt to changing climate conditions, including hardy hardwood varieties. Following the 2026 inventory, supplementary planting covered an additional 25,700 hectares where existing forests needed reinforcement.

Belarus now enters the maintenance phase, where crews will tend the young plantations by removing competing vegetation and conducting careful thinning operations. These efforts ensure the saplings grow into healthy, thriving forests.

From ordinary citizens to government foresters, an entire country is literally growing a greener future.