According to Xinhua news agency, the Southeast Asian nation’sMinistry of Natural Resources and Environmental Conservation announced theyconsist of the 4,988 acres Paletwa and the 8,400 acres Pawle-Watchipaforest in Gangaw.
The designation of the protected areas aims at conservingwatershed areas, mitigating climate change, protecting biodiversity, ensuringsoil conservation and fulfilling the needs of local residents, the ministrysaid.
A total of 11 protected forest areas have been designatedacross the country so far this year, according to Maung Maung Kyaw, a directorof the Forest Department.
In the 2020-2021 fiscal year, Myanmar had a total of 67,559.66square miles of reserved forest and protected public forest areas, or about 25%of the country's national territory, official data showed./.