Environment, Forest and Climate Change Minister Abdul Awal Mintoo today (8 July) said that satellite-based Geographic Information System (GIS) and remote sensing technologies will be used to digitally monitor the location and growth of newly planted trees under the government's national tree-planting programme.
A central digital database will also be created to track where trees are planted and how they are surviving, he said at a press conference at the Secretariat to mark World Environment Day and Environment Fair 2026 and the National Tree Plantation Campaign and Tree Fair 2026.
He said, "Satellite-based Geographic Information System (GIS) and remote sensing technologies will be used to digitally monitor the location and growth of newly planted trees. A central National Tree Database and Tree Monitoring System will also be established to record plantation data and monitor tree survival rates nationwide."
"A dedicated mobile application will be developed to support the system," he added.
The minister also said drone technology would be deployed to monitor afforestation activities in remote riverine islands, coastal areas and forest regions, where conventional monitoring is more challenging.
The minister outlined plans to create approximately 350,000 "green jobs" over the next five years.
"Rural women and young people will be encouraged to participate in nursery businesses and post-plantation maintenance activities, with the aim of improving livelihoods and developing 10,000 new nursery entrepreneurs," he added.
He further said this year the Forest Department is planting 1.5 crore saplings of native tree species in treeless areas, alongside roads, canals, embankments and in coastal regions and new afforestation programmes are being implemented across 4,800 hectares of forest land that has been recovered from illegal occupation.
tree plantation programme / environment minister / Abdul Awal Mintoo
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