Moldova students plant trees for greener future
In a gesture of ecological responsibility, several pupils, students, and professors from Chisinau and Dubasari participated in a tree-planting initiative on the banks of the Nistru River.
In the village of Pîrîta, they planted over four thousand Canadian poplar trees, aiming to contribute to the regeneration of the area's vegetation.
"There's a saying that goes: in life, you should plant a tree, dig a well, and build a house. We've started with planting trees, and I believe we'll soon get to the well," said one of the participants.
The young people worked as a team and learned how to plant a tree correctly. "We hold the tree upright so it doesn't lean to one side." After we water it, someone puts soil in the hole, we cover it, and we tap it down so it holds firmly.
I enjoy being part of a team like this; it's a new and wonderful experience.
The action was also appreciated by the involved teachers: "It's for our own good. It's our planet, it's our country. We'll live according to how we shape it. If not us, then who?" said Olga Chicu, Associate Dean at ASEM.
"As an adult, I realize this is necessary. Perhaps in years to come, they'll understand the importance of our efforts to bring greenery here," stated Zinovia Toacă, Dean of ASEM.
To ensure the saplings' successful establishment, those responsible use modern technologies for both watering and monitoring humidity.
"We've installed a soil moisture sensor in the ground, and it connects to a solar panel for continuous operation. A camera sends a photo daily and simultaneously counts insects, notifying us when spraying is needed," reported the digitalization expert, Petru Copacinschi.
"Initial spraying can be done traditionally with a tractor, but for larger crops, to avoid damage and yield loss, drone spraying is preferable," mentioned Nicolae Bulhac, agricultural drone pilot.
In the village of Pîrîta, 4,000 Canadian poplar trees were planted on an area of nearly four hectares.
"Using our established techniques, two-year-old, tall saplings require mandatory watering. We have tractors, we have water; we definitely pour a bucket of water for better rooting and successful growth," concluded Petru Burlac, head of the Grigoriopol Forestry District.
Under the National Reforestation Program "Generation of the Forest," it is planned that by 2032, 145,000 hectares of forest will be planted in the Republic of Moldova. Currently, the country's reforestation rate is only 11 percent.
Translation by Iurie Tataru
