Portuguese forest overhaul looks to douse annual wildfires
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Portugal's government has adopted a long-term plan to improve forest management and help prevent wildfires that scorch thousands of hectares (acres) every summer.
The Cabinet announced a raft of measures after a special meeting Tuesday, including restrictions on eucalyptus, the country's most common and most profitable species — but one that's often blamed for stoking blazes.
The government also plans to hire more firefighters and provide them with better equipment. Meanwhile, a simplified and cheaper program of property registration will seek to ascertain which land has no owner and is being neglected.
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Statistics show that 35 percent of Portugal is covered by woodland, slightly above the 28-nation European Union average of 31 percent.
The forest industry, especially the production of paper pulp, accounts for around 3 percent of GDP.