YANGON, Jan. 5 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar forestry authorities seized some 6,637 tons of timber in crackdown on illegal cutting of wood across the country in the first eight months (April-November) of the fiscal year 2017-18, the official Global New Light of Myanmar reported Friday.

Illegal logging and wood smuggling from the country's national forest reserve and private timber forests have been widespread, forcing the Forest Department to launch joint curbing operation with the police on them.

In December last year, the Myanmar navy also seized four private boats with 24 tons of illegal timber logs in the Andaman Sea near Hainggyikyun, the country's southwestern Ayeyawaddy region, arresting a total of 20 people on board.

Meanwhile, Myanmar's parliament has passed a motion, urging speeding up afforestation and fighting illegal logging nationwide in order to avert the impact of climate change.

Myanmar is one of the most resource-rich countries in Southeast Asia. However, statistics show that forest coverage in Myanmar dropped to 42.92 percent over the past two years from over 57 percent in 1990.