XN000022-1985-04-30 — Page 13

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TUESDAY, APRIL 30, 1985

URBAN COUNCIL'S +GREEN+ LETTER DAYS

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THE URBAN COUNCIL IS TO EMBARK ON A WEEK-LONG TREE PLANTING PROGRAMME NEXT WEEK.

THE OBJECTIVES OF THE PROGRAMME ARE TO BEAUTIFY THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT AND TO AROUSE GREATER PUBLIC AWARENESS OF THE ESSENTIAL ROLE THAT TREES CAN PLAY IN THE DENSELY- POPULATED AREAS, ACCORDING TO A SPOKESMAN FOR THE URBAN COUNCIL.

THE PLANTING CEREMONIES WILL BE HELD BETWEEN MONDAY AND SATURDAY (MAY 6-11) IN THE COUNCIL'S VARIOUS PARKS AND PUBLIC FACILITIES. THE LOCATIONS COVER KO SHAN PARK (MAY 6) MORSE PARK AND VICTORIA PARK (MAY 7), KWUN TONG RECREATION GROUND AND THE ABERDEEN TUNNEL APPROACH (MAY 8) TS IM SHA TSUI PROMENADE AND COOMBE ROAD PLAYGROUND (MAY 9) THE OPEN SPACE AT LAI CHI KOK PARK INDOOR GAMES HALL AND BREWIN PATH PLAYGROUND (MAY 10), AND THE OPEN SPACE AT BOUNDARY STREET INDOOR GAMES HALL (MAY 11).

URBAN COUNCILLORS, DISTRICT BOARD MEMBERS AND SCHOOL CHILDREN WILL TAKE PART IN THE TREE PLANTING CEREMONIES.

AMONG THE TREES TO BE PLANTED IS THE BAUHINIA BLAKEANA - ITS FLOWER IS USED AS HONG KONG'S FLORAL EMBLEM AND THE URBAN COUNCIL'S SYMBOL. THE SPECIES HAS BEEN CHOSEN FOR THE TREE PLANTING PROGRAMME BECAUSE IT HAS LONG SPREADING OR DROOPING BRANCHES AND IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL ORNAMENTAL TREES IN HONG KONG. FURTHERMORE, IT HAS A GREAT LANDSCAPE IMPACT BECAUSE ITS FLOWERING PERIOD IS A LONG ONE, LASTING FROM EARLY NOVEMBER TO THE END OF MARCH.

TWO LESS COMMON SPECIES AILANTHUS FORDI AND TERMINALIA CATAPPA HAVE ALSO BEEN SELECTED BECAUSE BOTH OF THEM ARE WIND-RESISTANT, THEREBY MOST SUITABLE TO HONG KONG'S CLIMATE.

THE TREE PLANTING PROGRAMME IS ONLY PART OF THE COUNCIL'S CONTINUING, PAINSTAKING ENDEAVOUR TO TURN HONG KONG INTO A GARDEN CITY, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

+OVER THE YEARS, THE COUNCIL HAS PROVIDED MANY PARKS, GARDENS, SITTING-OUT AREAS AND AMENITY PLOTS IN THE URBAN AREAS AND A SYSTEMATIC EFFORT HAS BEEN MADE TO PLANT TREES, SHRUBS AND FLOWERS WITH THE HOPE OF ACHIEVING GREATER IMPACT ON LANDSCAPE DEVELOPMENT AND RESTORING ECOLOGICAL BALANCE TO OUR HIGHLY-URBANISED CITY.

/+WITH THE