‘Green belt’ around Astana turns into forest (PHOTOS, VIDEO)
19:28, 19 April 2016
ASTANA. KAZINFORM As many as 11 mln trees have been planted around Astana to date as part of the city's ‘green belt' project. The area of the green space expands every year by 300 hectares. Head of the Natural Resources Department of Astana Adilbek Sarsembayev told it to Kazinform correspondent during a press tour today.
According to him, the ‘green belt’ has almost turned into a real forest inhabited by wild animals and birds, such as foxes, hares and pheasants. “Every year we release 400-500 species of pheasants into the wild,” he added.
Up to 90% of trees planted in ‘green belt’ take roots, Sarsembayev noted.
“We would like also to plant fruit trees. Several experiments have already been launched. However, there is a problem. The hares, whose number rose significantly in the forest, gnaw on bark of the trees, which in turn curbs their growth,” said he.
