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SUNDAY, JUNE 2, 1985

+IN GENERAL, HONG KONG'S PROPERTY OWNERS AND DEVELOPERS ARE QUITE CO-OPERATIVE IN HELPING PRESERVE TREES, + MR POLLARD ADDED. +IN MOST CASES, TREES ARE FELLED TO MAKE WAY FOR DEVELOPMENT SIMPLY BECAUSE THE CONTRACTORS OR DEVELOPERS FAIL TO REALISE THE NEED FOR RETAINING OR TRANSPLANTING THEM. ONCE THEY ARE TOLD ABOUT THE VALUE OF TREES AND THE POSSIBILITY OF TRANSPLANTING THEM, THEY ARE OFTEN WILLING TO CO-OPERATE IN RESCUE OPERATIONS OR TO MODIFY THEIR PLANS SOMEWHAT.

+SAVING TREES IS JUST AS IMPORTANT AS PLANTING NEW ONES FOR IT TAKES MANY YEARS FOR A YOUNG TREE TO REACH MATURITY. HOWEVER, OUR TREE SECTIONS IMPLEMENT A VERY VIGOROUS TREE PLANTING PROGRAMME EVERY YEAR AS A FORM OF LONG-TERM INSURANCE. ALSO, WHEN APPROVAL IS GIVEN FOR THE FELLING OF TREES, IT WILL NORMALLY BE ON CONDITION OF GENEROUS COMPENSATORY PLANTING TO FOLLOW, SAID MR POLLARD,

BETWEEN 1979 AND 1984, AN AVERAGE OF 2 665 TREES WERE FELLED EVERY YEAR ON HONG KONG ISLAND AND IN KOWLOON, WHILE AN AVERAGE OF 19 888 YOUNG TREES WERE PLANTED. THIS MEANT THAT MORE THAN SEVEN TREES WERE PLANTED FOR EACH ONE LOST.

MR POLLARD ENVISAGED THAT SOME 20 000 TO 25 000 TREES WOULD BE PLANTED IN THE URBAN AREAS ANNUALLY IN THE NEXT FIVE YEARS.

GIVEN THE LIMITED SPACE AVAILABLE IN THE URBAN AREAS, HE ADDED. THE TARGET WAS DESIRABLE AND REALISTIC AND SHOULD DO MUCH TO SUSTAIN THE LEVEL OF GREENERY IN THE CITY AREA.

EVENING COURSES STARTING IN SEPTEMBER ******

EVENING COURSES WILL AGAIN BE STARTING IN SEPTEMBER FOR YOUNG PEOPLE AND ADULTS WISHING TO FURTHER THEIR STUDIES.

THE COURSES, ORGANISED BY THE ADULT EDUCATION SECTION OF THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT, ARE TEACHERS' COURSE, ENGLISH COURSE, SECONDARY SCHOOL COURSE, GOVERNMENT SECONDARY SCHOOL COURSE FOR ADULTS, ADULT EDUCATION COURSE (GENERAL BACKGROUND) AND ADULT EDUCATION COURSE (PRACTICAL BACKGROUND).

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE DEPARTMENT SAID, THE TEACHERS' COURSE IS TO PROVIDE IN-SERVICE TRAINING FOR TEACHERS WHO WANT TO IMPROVE THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF CURRICULAR SUBJECTS. CERTIFICATES OF ATTENDANCE WILL BE AWARDED ON SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF EACH COURSE.

THE ENGLISH

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