Brasília, 3/10/2003 (Agência Brasil - ABr) - On Friday the president of the Brazilian Silviculture Society (SBS), Nelson Barbosa Leite, met with the minister of Agriculture, Roberto Rodrigues, and asked for more federal funding for forestry programs. Leite pointed out that at the moment the sector gets R$60 million annually, but needs R$500 million. The result, he explained, is that only 200,000 hectares are planted with trees annually.

The SBS is a non-profit organization founded in 1955 to protect the enviroment through efficient forestry management. (AB)