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The Battle of the Tree
Winning the battle for the tree was one of the first challenges for independent Algeria. The figures for 1962 justified this concern: 2.5 million hectares completely degraded; 5 million ha of eroding land. The phenomenon of siltation of dams, which were few in number, already posed a serious problem at that time. Engineers warned of the risks linked to rainwater surging from the mountains, loaded with muddy materials which are deposited in the reservoir basins and threaten to fill them in a short time. The Hamiz dam, near Algiers, was in this case.
To protect the Hamiz dam, a reforestation day was organized on April 21, 1963. That day, it was a Sunday, a weekly rest day, Algiers emptied of its inhabitants in the morning to plant nearly 500,000 trees at Arbatache, in the Algiers region. The President of the Republic, Ahmed Ben Bella, was there. According to the press, there were 800,000 volunteers. Tree plantations continued to take place, each time involving hundreds of thousands of volunteers, largely young people mobilized by their organizations. At the end of 1964, the results of the year speak for themselves: hundreds of thousands of trees planted across the country; in just 5 months, 1 million hectares were reforested.
In 2025, the tradition continues: one million plants were planted yesterday as part of the 2025-2026 national planting campaign, aimed at restoring degraded natural ecosystems and strengthening plant cover across the entire national territory. The General Directorate of Forests (DGF) underlined that this day, celebrated each year on October 25, constitutes an opportunity to recall the essential role of forests in protecting soil against erosion, maintaining biodiversity, combating climate change and reducing greenhouse gases.
The forest ecosystem also acts as a natural filter against air pollution and provides a habitat and a source of food for wildlife, while having economic importance through the exploitation of wood, cork, resins, wild fruits and medicinal plants, the press release added. The DGF highlighted the role of the forest in the creation of direct and indirect jobs, as well as its contribution to the country’s food security, inviting all citizens to participate in the activities organized on this occasion by the services of the Ministry of Agriculture, Rural Development and Fisheries and its decentralized structures.
Lakhdar A.