Addressing the 2023 Tourism Awareness Week Tree Planting Exercise at a high school in this capital, the environment minister said this target surpasses the international goal of 30 percent protection in seven years.

Jamaica has hit 25 percent, and I am committing that it will protect 30 percent of its landmass by 2025. So, it will be well ahead of the international targets and exceed them to about 40 percent by 2030, something we are proud of, Samuda said in statements quoted by The Gleaner newspaper.

As part of its environmental management program, this nation is targeting to plant three million timber and ornamental trees by late 2023, a national initiative launched in November 2019 to expand public and private forested areas.

Jamaica has so far planted 2.7 million trees under this goal, and the remaining 300,000 trees are to be planted in three months, Samuda said, noting the importance of that program as the country faces harsher and longer periods of drought.

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