7,500 trees planted in Jember

JEMBER, East Java: Hundreds of youth organizations, teachers, musicians and other members of the community worked together Sunday to plant 7,500 trees along the Bedadung River.

Ten villages in the districts of Patrang, Sumbersari and Kaliwates, are included in the regreening drive. The activists also cleaned up the river.

Regent Winarno said the drive was meant to improve the quality of the 7.5 kilometer river that runs across the city of Jember.

Winarno said erosion and the increasing number of housing complexes along the river caused the river to dry up in the dry season. (swe)