It is reported that Obama Administration is mulling a proposal for a new jobs program with the aim of planting trees on Appalachian mountaintops that have been scalped by mining companies in search of coal.

A group of researchers and government field workers collaborating under the banner of the Appalachian Regional Reforestation Initiative proposed the project that would both ease unemployment in the economically depressed area and restore forests annihilated by coal mining.

Office of Surface Mining forester Mr Patrick Angel said that he has discussed the initiative with Van Jones, special adviser on green jobs for the White House Council on Environmental Quality.

Mr Angel said between 750,000 and one million acres of land in Appalachia have been deforested by mining. He said that replanting trees on that land would generate much needed jobs for Appalachian residents struggling with chronic joblessness.

(Sourced from AP)