B.C. celebrates 10 billion seedlings planted since 1930

British Columbia officials are celebrating the planting of 10 billion seedlings since reforestation efforts began nearly a century ago.

A statement from the Forests Ministry says two billion of those seedlings have been planted in the last seven years.

It says the 10-billionth seedling was among 305 million that were planted throughout the province last year, and Forests Minister Bruce Ralston planted a ceremonial tree in Surrey's Green Timbers Urban Forest Park to mark the milestone on Monday.

Ralston says in a statement that it's easy to get lost in the large number, but there's a human story behind the effort.

He says 10 billion seedlings means 10 billion pairs of hands and shovels turning over the earth since the work began in 1930.

Forest tenure holders are required to undertake reforestation efforts, and B.C. is set to plant an additional 50 million trees this year with a focus on areas damaged by natural disturbances, such as wildfires and mountain pine beetle infestations.

The statement says B.C. is continuing to work on improving practices to "boost the success of every seedling and help make sure B.C.'s forests are resilient in a changing climate."