Nursultan Nazarbayev together with the representatives of Zhasyl El youth squad took part in tree planting in the green zone of the capital and release of 150 pheasants into the natural environment.

Talking to the youth, the President of Kazakhstan recalled that the "green belt" was created as a natural barrier to protect the capital from dusty winds and snowstorms.

- The forest is a real natural wealth and the most important mechanism for maintaining a favourable living environment. It revitalizes the urban air, making it cleaner and fresh, and the climate is softer, Nursultan Nazarbayev said.

In addition, the Head of State held a meeting on the status and further development of Astana’s green belt.

Adilbek Dzhaksybekov, head of the Presidential Administration, Umirzak Shukeyev, Deputy Prime Minister - Minister of Agriculture, Asset Issekeshev, akim of Astana and Malik Murzalin, akim of Akmola region, have attended that meeting.

The President of Kazakhstan stressed that for 20 years a unique ecosystem has been formed around Astana, with harmoniously combined natural and urban landscapes.

- Green space inside the capital makes an area of almost 15 thousand hectares. It is important, according to the example of the capital, to step up the pace of planted wood throughout Kazakhstan, the Head of State said.

Nursultan Nazarbayev also noted that extensive work on combining the forests of green space and Shchuchinsk-Borovoye resort zone will keep on in the coming years. In particular, more than one thousand hectares of forest are to be planted along the routes of Astana-Karaganda and Astana-Shortandy.

During the meeting, Vice Minister of Agriculture Erlan Nysanbayev has reported to Nursultan Nazarbayev that since 1997 the total area of forest plantations has exceeded 83 thousand hectares, and this year it is about 5.5 thousand hectares.

In turn, Abay Sagitov, Director of Research Institute for Plant Protection and Quarantine, spoke about the measures taken to protect the forest from pests and increase the survival of forest plantations.

Following the meeting, the Head of State gave a number of specific instructions to the Ministry of Agriculture, Akimats of Astana and Akmola region on the green zone’s further development and the use of forest plantations for organizing recreation places for residents and guests of the capital city.