XN000022-1986-03-26 — Page 50

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 26, 1936

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MAJOR TREE PLANTING SCHEME LAUNCHED

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THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT PLACES MUCH IMPORTANCE IN EDUCATING THE PUBLIC TO BE MORE CAREFUL, MORE THOUGHTFUL AND MORE CIVIC-MINDED WHEN VISITING COUNTRY PARKS, THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, DR LAWRENCE LEE, SAID THIS (WEDNESDAY) MORNING.

+ONLY WITH FULL PUBLIC SUPPORT, CAN WE HOPE TO PREVENT FURTHER FIRE DAMAGES TO OUR VALUABLE PLANTATIONS, HE SAID.

DR LEE WAS SPEAKING AT THE LAUNCHING OF THIS YEAR'S COMMUNITY TREE PLANTING SCHEME TOGETHER WITH A PARTY OF DISTINGUISHED GUESTS, AND 1 500 STUDENTS AND YOUTHS AT A FIRE-DEVASTATED SITE INSIDE TAI MO SHAN COUNTRY PARK.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE SCHEME IS A SERIES OF TREE-PLANTING DAYS ORGANISED FOR THE PUBLIC DURING THE EASTER HOLIDAYS AND ON CHING MING FESTIVAL DAY AND EVERY SUNDAY IN APRIL WHEN SEEDLINGS WILL BE AVAILABLE FREE FOR PLANTING AT SIX DESIGNATED COUNTRY PARKS.

THESE SITES ARE NEAR THE TWISK MANAGEMENT CENTRE IN TAI LAM COUNTRY PARK CHUEN LUNG IN TAI MO SHAN COUNTRY PARK; PAK TAM CHUNG IN SAI KUNG COUNTRY PARK: MUI WO NEAR THE FERRY PIER; POKFULAM COUNTRY PARK NEAR CHI FU FA YUEN; AND AT A PICNIC SITE NEAR MOUNT BUTLER INSIDE QUARRY BAY COUNTRY PARK.

DR LEE SAID THIS YEAR'S EVENT WAS OF PARTICULAR SIGNIFICANCE AS A SERIOUS FIRE IN THE SHING MUN AND TAI MO SHAN COUNTRY PARKS IN EARLY JANUARY DAMAGED A LARGE NUMBER OF TREES.

+THE NEED TO RESTOCK OUR PLANTATION HAS NOW BECOME AN IMMINENT TASK AND THIS IS THE MOST APPROPRIATE TIME FOR US TO REPLANT TREES IN THE BURNT AREAS TO MAKE UP FOR THE LOSSES, HE SAID.

AFTER.

AFTER PLANTING, DR LEE ADDED, THE TREES MUST BE WELL LOOKED

+ IT IS ENCOURAGING TO NOTE THAT EVERY YEAR, THOUSANDS OF YOUNG PEOPLE VOLUNTEER TO TAKE PART IN A WIDE VARIETY OF COUNTRYSIDE CONSERVATION AND MANAGEMENT WORK, HE SAID.

DR LEE NOTED THAT TEN SCHOOLS HAD JOINED THE +SCHOOL FOREST PROJECT+ ORGANISED BY THE DEPARTMENT. AMONG THEM SIX HAVE SUCCESSFULLY ESTABLISHED AND MAINTAINED THEIR FOREST PLOTS+ FOR MORE THAN FIVE YEARS.

HE RECALLED THAT THE FIRST COMMUNITY TREE PLANTING PROGRAMME ORGANISED BY HIS DEPARTMENT DATED BACK TO 1957 AND IN RECENT YEARS HAD BECOME A WIDELY ACCEPTED ANNUAL EVENT FOR THE PUBLIC.

+ IN 1982, 1 700 PEOPLE TOOK PART IN PLANTING 3 500 TREES AND LAST YEAR, OVER 6 700 PARTICIPANTS PLANTED SOME 7 000 TREES.

/+I LOOK

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