XN000022-1984-04-07 — Page 4

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SATURDAY, APRIL 7, 1984

RECALLING THAT THE FIRST COMMUNITY TREE PLANTING DAY WAS HELD IN SHING MUN PLANTATION MORE THAN 25 YEARS AGO, DR RIDDELL-SWAN SAID: +COMMUNITY TREE PLANTING DAY IS NOW A WIDELY ACCEPTED ANNUAL EVENT AND IN 1982. DESPITE INCLEMENT WEATHER, 1 700 PARTICIPANTS PLANTED 3 500 TREES AND LAST YEAR 2 500 PARTICIPANTS PLANTED 3 800 TREES.+

HE EXPRESSED THE HOPE EVEN MORE PEOPLE WILL JOIN IN PLANTING TLES.

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TREE SEEDLINGS WILL BE MADE AVAILABLE FOR PLANTING BY VISITORS IN SIX OF THE COUNTRY PARKS AT TWISK, BRIDE'S POOL IN TAI PO, CLEAR WATER BAY AND PAK TAM CHUNG IN SAI KUNG, NAM SHAN ON LANTAU ISLAND AND QUARRY BAY ON HONG KONG ISLAND - ON THREE SUNDAYS FROM TOMORROW (APRIL 8 AND ON APRIL 15 AND 22) BETWEEN 9 AM AND 3 PM.

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DR RIDDELL-SWAN SAID THAT TREE PLANTING WAS ONLY THE FIRST STEP AND THAT PROTECTION AND MAINTENANCE WERE NECESSARY FOLLOW- UP MEASURES.

HE SAID THAT FIRES WERE THE BIGGEST MENACE, AND BECAUSE OF THE EXCEPTIONALLY DRY WINTER FOUR COUNTRY PARKS HAD TO BE CLOSED FOR A COUPLE OF MONTHS.

HE SAID THE PUBLIC ACCEPTED THIS CLOSURE WITH GOOD GRACE AND UNDERSTANDING, AND I THANKED THEM FOR THEIR SUPPORT AND UNDERSTANDING OF THIS NECESSARY MEASURE.

TREE PLANTING, HE SAID, WAS ALSO REQUIRED OF PARTICIPANTS IN THE CLEAN AND GREEN+ SCHEME, A COUNTRYSIDE CONSERVATION EDUCATION COMPETITION STARTED IN OCTOBER LAST YEAR.

HE REMINDED THE YOUNG PARTICIPANTS WHO HAVE COMPLETED PART ONE OF THIS SCHEME TO TAKE PART IN THE SECOND STAGE, WHICH INCLUDES TREE PLANTING AS PART OF THE COMPETITION.

AN UNOFFICIAL MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, MR CHARLES YEUNG AND THE VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE HEUNG YEE KUK, MR LIU CHING- LEUNG JOINED DR RIDDELL-SWAN AND OTHER GUESTS IN PLANTING THE FIRST TREES DURING THE CEREMONY.

ABOUT 120 CIVIL AID SERVICES CADETS, POLICE CADETS, REPRESENTATIVES OF THE COMMUNITY YOUTH CLUB, THE SCOUTS AND A SCHOOL INVOLVED IN A FOREST PROJECT AT BRIDE'S POOL ALSO TOOK PART IN TREE PLANTING TODAY.

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