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THURSDAY, MARCH 20, 1986
PUBLIC SUPPORT NEEDED FOR TREE PLANTING
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THE PUBLIC WAS URGED TO ACTIVELY TAKE PART IN A MAJOR PROGRAMME ORGANISED BY THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT TO REPLANT TREES IN SHING MUN, TAI MO SHAN AND OTHER COUNTRY PARKS RECENTLY DEVASTATED BY FIRE.
IN MAKING THE APPEAL AT A PRESS CONFERENCE TODAY (THURSDAY), THE DEPARTMENT'S ASSISTANT DIRECTOR (CONSERVATION AND COUNTRY PARKS), MR K.C. IU, SAID: +ALTHOUGH THE THREAT HAS NOW DIMINISHED, WE HAVE TO WORK VERY HARD THIS YEAR TO REPLANT TREES TO MAKE UP FOR THE SEVERE LOSSES.
+THIS YEAR, THE DEPARTMENT'S TREE NURSERIES ARE PRODUCING SOME 900 000 TREE SEEDLINGS AND ABOUT HALF WILL BE PLANTED IN COUNTRY PARKS.+
THE MAJORITY OF THE SPECIES TO BE PLANTED WOULD BE HARDY BROAD-LEAF TREES, SPECIALLY CHOSEN FOR THEIR ABILITY TO SURVIVE FIRE DAMAGE, HE ADDED.
MANY OF THE SEEDLINGS WOULD BE PLANTED IN THE ANNUAL COMMUNITY TREE PLANTING PROGRAMME STARTING NEXT WEDNESDAY (MARCH 26).
DURING THE OCCASION, THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, DR LAWRENCE LEE, AND THE GENERAL MANAGER OF TELEVISION BROADCASTS LIMITED, MR ROBERT CHAN, AND ABOUT 1 500 STUDENTS AND YOUTHS, WOULD PLANT THE FIRST TREES IN TAI MO SHAN COUNTRY PARK TO START THIS YEAR'S TREE PLANTING ACTIVITIES.
+TREE PLANTING DAYS FOR THE PUBLIC HAVE BEEN SCHEDULED FOR THE EASTER HOLIDAYS BETWEEN MARCH 28 AND 31, CHING MING FESTIVAL DAY ON APRIL 5 AND EVERY SUNDAY IN APRIL, MR ÍU SAID.
TREE SEEDLINGS WOULD BE AVAILABLE FREE FOR PLANTING AT SIX
PAK DESIGNATED SITES IN COUNTRY PARKS -- POKFULAM, QUARRY BAY TAM CHUNG, MUI WO, TWISK AND CHUEN LUNG BETWEEN 9 AM AND 4 PM ON THESE TREE PLANTING DAYS.
DEPARTMENT STAFF WOULD BE ON DUTY TO PROVIDE INTERESTED PUBLIC WITH TREE SEEDLINGS, TOOLS AND THE TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE REQUIRED.
+ THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT ORGANISED THE FIRST TREE PLANTING SCHEME IN 1957. THROUGHOUT THE YEARS, THE PROJECT HAS PROVED VERY POPULAR, + MR IU SAID.
*LAST YEAR, 6 700 PARTICIPANTS PLANTED SOME 7 000 TREES AND IT IS HOPED THAT THIS YEAR EVEN MORE PEOPLE WILL JOIN US IN THIS WORTHWHILE EVENT.*
/HE ADDED