Cedar berries are set to ripen next month -- and Government has kicked off a fresh bid to plant the idea of sowing a seed in people's minds.

Environment Minister Arthur Hodgson said his Millennium project to boost the number of cedar trees would reap a host of benefits for the future.

A tree and plants guide has been produced to help people select the best types and growing methods.

And Mr. Hodgson said the goal was to plant at least one tree per person in Bermuda by the start of the new century -- more than 60,000 trees.

Mr. Hodgson explained: "Cedar berries are coming to maturity and we're trying to involve the entire community in the growing of trees for the Millennium.

"The objective is to begin a continuous programme of tree improvement and replacement in Bermuda's parks, schools and gardens.'' Mr. Hodgson added: "We've had one of the most abundant cedar berry harvests in years and as they ripen we will get the whole community out there picking them and planting them.'' The "plant a tree'' plan was unveiled in March and already around 200 expressions of interest have been made to the Ministry.

Mr. Hodgson said Bermuda's booming economy and follow-on of increased construction, the break-up of remaining areas of open space, and the failure to reestablish native plants, combined with "invasive pest plants'' all put the Island's natural heritage at risk.

And he warned that natural disasters like hurricanes and the cedar blight of the 1940s could happen again.

Mr. Hodgson said: "All these things have the ability to adversely alter our natural environment.

"But if we engage in proactive environmental programmes, future generations won't inherit severe problems -- that's why things such as growing trees are so important.'' Mr. Hodgson added that trees are not only oxygen generators, but help control soil erosion and provide habitats for wildlife.

And he said research had shown if a single tree's work had to be reproduced by mechanical means, a tree would be worth $12,000 a year -- or around $600,000 over a 50-year lifetime.

Mr. Hodgson said: "A lot of people don't look at trees like that -- but that's the reason we need to protect and encourage them, quite apart from the beauty and benefits of trees, which affect all sectors of the population.'' He added that he had notched up his first Parliamentary term as "green Minister'' as a success.

But he took issue with claims that he had said it was "a stupid question'' for voters to ask where Government taxes went.

Mr. Hodgson was accused of "arrogance'' for the remark, made during a no-holds-barred debate in House on massive increases in land tax totalling $6 million.

But he said: "There was a certain amount of interpolation. I was responding when the Opposition was asking what was going to be done with the $6 million.

"I said it was a silly question. I said it would be used to pay Government's bills.

"I tried to indicate that all the money goes into a consolidated account, so to attempt to segregate $6 million was not something voters tried to do.

"But I certainly didn't intend to suggest voters don't have a right to know what their money is spent on.

"Voters do have a right to know -- and people have a duty to ask how it's being spent.

"But to attempt to isolate that particular sum of money wasn't really a realistic question because it does go into the consolidated account.''