 In recent years, Central African authorities have placed particular emphasis on the fight against climate change and deforestation by encouraging tree planting. The country aims to plant thousands of hectares of trees this year alone. National leaders, including the head of state, have embraced the activity with a view to attracting the country's youth. Others have taken up tree planting with commercial objectives. The government has initiated a forestry department fund whose objective is to create noiseries of several tree varieties. The seedlings are distributed free of charge to citizens. Years of conflict and neglect have seen Central African Republic's forest and wildlife exploited illegally by poachers.