Up to 20,000 saplings will be planted in land belonging to the state, village councils, the church and other shared spaces across the areas of the Limassol district which were impacted by the fire which tore through the region last month, the forestry department said on Friday.

The department said that officials have already held on-site meetings with local authorities in the affected communities, with early estimates suggesting that around 20,000 trees will be provided free of charge.

Planting will take place during the upcoming tree-planting season, which begins in November and runs until February, and will be carried out by the department itself.

In addition, the forestry department, together with the agriculture ministry, will launch a programme called “I Plant for the Climate” in mid-September, in which local authorities and volunteer groups will be able to take part in the planting of saplings.

The department will provide the saplings free of charge, while the approved participants will be responsible for planting and maintaining them.

It also added that once the first rains arrive, trees, shrubs and herbaceous plants which existed before the fire are likely to regrow naturally, either by sprouting or by new plants germinating from seeds.

It stressed that motivated volunteer groups and individuals will have the opportunity to contribute to the restoration of the landscape during the planting season, not only through tree planting, but also through other related activities.