• Submitted by: manso
• Business and Economy
• 04 / 20 / 2011

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Cuba will begin this year a program of intensive management of plantations in order to meet domestic demand for timber in the medium term, announced Tuesday Juan Alberto Herrera, who is the coordinator of the Forest Development Project.

With the arrival of the rainy season will begin planting of fast growing plants, including Cuban and exotic species, Herrero told Prensa Latina.

For 2011 is planned planting of 10,000 hectares, which will reach 250,000 hectares by 2020, he added.

According to taxonomists and botanists, in Cuban forests there are over 600 species, including four endemic pine and a wide range of recognized quality timber such as mahogany.

In the reforestation of the forest area about 100 species are used annually, some of economic interest, other endangered species and a group of exotic plants which normally allow good wood and grow quickly, said Herrero.

The program of intensively managed plantations is part of the Forestry Development Project launched by the Ministry of Agriculture in Cuba in 2008 with the collaboration of the Canadian Agencie of Development.

Source: PL