OREANDA-NEWS. June 29, 2009. The head of state expressed satisfaction with the development of sanitary protective greenbelt zone around the capital city. President Nursultan Nazarbayev underlined that beautification within and outside the city was a crucial part for construction of a new capital city. There is no precedent for large-scale manmade forest plantations in the steppe zone with acutely continental climate, reported the Official website akorda.kz.

“We surveyed the plantation and observed that the trees that had been planted in 1998-1999 grew to the height of 15-20 meters. It is almost a forest,” Nursultan Nazarbayev highlighted.

It is necessary to unite the greenbelt land around Astana and the forest zone in Shortandy Region. The forest will grow and regenerate itself.

The head of state emphasized that over the last years green trees that had been planted around Astana spread over more than 45,000 hectares. They are the lungs of the city. Due to the greenbelt the air is being purified, natural protection of the city from dust storms is being provided as well. In winter forest plantations play the part of a snow storage and moisture which is very crucial for steppe zones.

Moreover, residents of Astana may have a rest in suburb areas. They can pick up mushrooms and berries in the woods. People usually come here at weekends.

The President also informed that every year about 5,000 hectares of forest belts would be planted around Astana. By 2015, the greenbelt will be enlarged by 75,000 hectares. Much work is being done for beatification within the urban area. A large park with 230 hectares on the two banks of the Yesil River is being constructed in the capital city.

The example of Astana speaks for itself for all regional centers and towns of Kazakhstan. Such greenbelts should be created and developed around each steppe zones of the towns.