Argentine President Eduardo Duhalde is scrambling for ways to bring down unemployment amid his country’s acute economic crisis, and at least one of his ideas has environmental promise—a program to reforest 12 million acres (five million hectares) of land. The nationwide reforestation initiative has not been announced officially, but Environment Secretary Carlos Merenson disclosed plans for it this month and Duhalde reportedly mentioned it to a group of provincial governors. Duhalde is under intense pressure to create jobs. Unemployment, now approaching 30%, is the leading edge of an economic storm that has pounded the country, repeatedly threatening to topple the Duhalde administration. According to Merenson, the reforestation plan will pay workers an estimated 350 pesos (about $110) a month and require at least 30... [Log in to read more]