YANGON, Sept. 2 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar has designated a new protected forest area in Homalin township of the northwestern Sagaing Region, the state-run daily The Mirror reported on Saturday.
The Ministry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation designated 40,511 acres of land for the Nanyoke protected forest on Wednesday, the report said.
The move is aimed at conserving water resources and watershed areas, stabilizing ecosystems and meeting local residents' basic needs of wood, firewood, and bamboos, among others.
In addition, it will serve protecting biodiversity and wildlife while supporting agricultural activities, the ministry said.
It is also expected to help conserve the forested land and systematically manage the forest resources, according to the ministry.
The Southeast Asian country hopes to establish 30 percent of its total area as forest reserves and 10 percent as protected areas, according to local media reports. ■
