Students skipped classes for a day to plant seedlings for a greener future
Students from the National Institute of Justice skipped classes for a day and went to the field to help reforest the country. On a plot of land near the village of Pervomaisc, in Căușeni district, they planted over 3,300 acacia saplings on an area of approximately 1.2 hectares. The future prosecutors and judges say that, beyond their chosen profession, they also want to help protect the environment, and the planted trees could start bearing fruit in the coming years.
"We are taking part in a reforestation campaign. We see it as a very beneficial initiative, because the actions of today’s young people actually shape tomorrow’s future."
"These actions are very important, because they concern tomorrow’s future and our homeland, which we must protect."
"We plant trees and, at the same time, we plant hope for tomorrow and for the years to come. We hope to bring value to the environment and to everything that surrounds us."
Volunteer activities also play a key role in strengthening team spirit. Such initiatives show that, through mobilization and willpower, sustainable projects with a positive impact on the entire community can be achieved.
"We all want a cleaner and safer environment for ourselves and for future generations. Secondly, I think it is a wonderful teamwork exercise, where we can work together and then enjoy the results. It is also a message to everyone that great things can be done voluntarily and that, with a bit of mobilization and determination, something beautiful and lasting can be left behind," said Ramona Strugariu, director of the National Institute of Justice.
The 1.2-hectare plot was planted with acacia, a species chosen for its adaptability to local soil conditions. In at most five years, a young forest should take shape here.
"The saplings are grown in the nursery of the Căinari Forest District by us personally. Acacia is a fast-growing species and, if all goes well, in three to five years we should move to a massif stage: we will tend the crowns, work between the rows and in the rows, and then we will obtain a compact forest, until we reach the stage of mature forest stands," explained Serghei Popescu, master forester at the Căinari Forest District.
The planting campaign is part of the National Program for Forest Expansion and Rehabilitation, initiated by President Maia Sandu, which aims to create 145,000 hectares of new forests nationwide. In recent years, over 20,000 hectares have already been afforested.
