Officers from the Department of Conservation and Forestry are currently visiting private nurseries with the objective to implement the Private Tree Nursery Assistance Project.

The District Forestry Officer (DFO), Mr. Mokoena Senekane said the government intended to implement the project for the benefit of the private nursery owners as the public will buy fruit and forestry trees from them. ''During the visits, the Department will identify how private nurseries can be developed, '' he said.

Mr. Senekane however added that it is expected that the nurseries will be upgraded through construction of irrigation dams, supply of nets and other equipment needed for nurseries. He further said there are already six private nurseries in different areas in the district that will supply the Mafeteng community with trees, saying the government owned nurseries stopped production of trees since the project was introduced in October last year.

The D.F.O pointed out that the implementation of the project will enable owners of the private nurseries to feel ownership in the activities they undertake for soil conservation.
The Private Tree Nursery Assistance Project is expected to take two years.

18 February, 2003