XN000022-1983-04-15 — Page 8

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FRIDAY, APRIL 15, 1983

COMMUNITY LEADERS PLANT TREES

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A TOTAL OF 780 000 YOUNG TREES WILL BE PLANTED IN HONG KONG THIS YEAR, THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, DR JOHN RIDDELL-SWAN SAID THIS (FRIDAY) AFTERNOON.

OF THESE TREES, WHICH ARE PRODUCED AT NURSERIES OF THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT, 380 000 WILL BE PLANTED IN COUNTRY PARKS AS PART OF THE DEPARTMENT'S ON-GOING FORESTRY WORK. THE REMAINDER WILL BE PLANTED BY OTHER GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENTS IN OTHER AREAS, DR RIDDELL-SWAN SAID.

DR RIDDELL-SWAN TODAY LED A GROUP OF GUESTS, INCLUDING LEGISLATIVE COUNCILLORS, GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS AND LEADERS OF ORGANISED GROUPS, TO PLANT THE FIRST TREES AT A SITE INSIDE THE ABERDEEN COUNTRY PARK TO KICK OFF THIS YEAR'S COMMUNITY TREE PLANTING SCHEME.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE SCHEME IS A MASS PLANTING ON SUNDAY (APRIL 17) WHEN 10 000 YOUNG TREES WILL BE DISTRIBUTED FREE OF CHARGE TO VISITORS TO SIX COUNTRY PARKS FOR PLANTING.

LOCATIONS WHERE THESE TREES WILL BE AVAILABLE ARE NEAR THE RESERVOIR BARRIER INSIDE THE POKFULAM COUNTRY PARK ON HONG KONG ISLAND, NEAR THE NAM SHAN CAMP SITE INSIDE THE LANTAU SOUTH COUNTRY PARK ON LANTAU; NEAR THE TAI AU MUN CAR PARK INSIDE THE CLEAR WATER BAY COUNTRY PARK NEAR THE PAK TAM CHUNG CAR PARK INSIDE THE SAI KUNG COUNTRY PARK AT BRIDE'S POOL IN THE PLOVER COVE COUNTRY PARK, AND NEAR THE ROUTE TWISK MANAGEMENT CENTRE INSIDE THE TAI LAM COUNTRY PARK IN THE NEW TERRITORIES.

SPEAKING AT TODAY'S SPECIAL CEREMONY, DR RIDDELL-SWAN SAID ANOTHER 3 000 SEEDLINGS HAD BEEN GIVEN TO SCHOOLS AND WELFARE CENTRES FOR THE BEAUTIFICATION OF THEIR PREMISES.

HE SAID THERE ARE NOW PROBABLY MORE TREES IN THE COUNTRYSIDE OF HONG KONG THAN AT ANY TIME SINCE THIS CENTURY.+

DR RIDDELL-SWAN RECALLED THAT THE FIRST COMMUNITY TREE PLANTING DAY ORGANISED BY THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT WAS HELD IN SHING MUN IN 1957 AND TREE PLANTING DAYS WERE ANNUAL EVENTS UNTIL THE MID-SEVENTIES. THE SCHEME WAS REVIVED LAST YEAR AND IT WILL CONTINUE IN FUTURE.

+THE PLANTING OF TREES IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR HONG KONG IF WE ARE TO KEEP OUR LANDSCAPE FRESH AND GREEN AND IF WE ARE TO MAKE AMENDS FOR TREES LOST THROUGH A WIDE VARIETY OF CAUSES, SOME NECESSARY AND SOME UNFORTUNATELY EASILY PREVENTABLE.

+I WOULD LIKE, THEREFORE, TO ASK ALL MEMBERS OF THE COMMUNITY TO AFFIRM THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE BEAUTIFICATION OF HONG KONG BY PLANTING A TREE OVER THE NEXT FEW DAYS IN ONE OF THEIR COUNTRY PARKS.+

STAFF OF THE DEPARTMENT WILL BE ON DUTY ON SUNDAY IN THE SIX COUNTRY PARKS TO ASSIST THE TREE-PLANTING PUBLIC.

/DR BILDELL-SWAN

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