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Show New Cedars for Lebanon ' y; a -"'i''ia Spreading cedars once covered all the mountaintops of Lebanon. The famous "Cedars of Lebanon," Leb-anon," from which the Phoenicians Phoeni-cians built their ubiquitous merchant fleets and ancient Egyptians fashioned solar boats, will be rejuvenated and increased when Lebanon puts into effect a huge reforestation project. Known as "Green Project," the program will add about 300,000 acres to Lebanon's forests, for-ests, estimated at present to cover an area of 185,000 acres. The magnificent cedars, which only grow in Lebanon's highest mountains, and some of which are hundreds of years old, will get special attention from the Ministry of Agriculture. Agricul-ture. New shoots will be planted plant-ed on the high mountain slopes, and strict laws will be imposed against cutting down the centuries-old trees which have become be-come one of the main tourist attractions of this beautiful country on the Mediterranean. "Green Project" also aims at making the country self-sufficient in the production of wood and at preventing soil-erosion. soil-erosion. No estimate of cost has yet been worked out for the scheme, but it is expected to provide employment for about 6,000 laborers. The trees most recommended recommend-ed for Lebanon's forests include cedars, poplars, pines, oaks, wormwood and eucalyptus. Nurseries have already been started to grow the young shoots. The Director of Afforestation, Afforesta-tion, Dr. Malek Basbous, said bids will be solicited from companies to participate in implementing im-plementing the project which is expected to, take several years. To qualify for the con- -tract, a company must have a minimum of 200 tractors with a capacity of 200 horsepower each. The Ministry of Agriculture will make available, free of charge, all afforestation and and fruit trees, both for private and state land. The contracting company may also be approached approach-ed about opening roads into agricultural lands. &f - -1 I ; - ) A. Si c "The Cedars' is now a famous resort for winter sports. |