XN000022-1992-10-22 — Page 11

10

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 22, 1992

THE CPCE HAS SET THE PROMOTION OF THE RULE OF LAW AS ONE OF ITS WORK THEMES FOR THE CURRENT YEAR. THE OTHER WILL BE ON HUMAN RIGHTS.

ATTENTION NEWS EDITORS:

YOUR REPRESENTATIVES ARE INVITED TO COVER THE SEMINAR WHICH BEGINS AT 10 AM AT THE CONFERENCE ROOM, FIRST FLOOR, NEW ANNEXE, CENTRAL GOVERNMENT OFFICES, LOWER ALBERT ROAD, HONG KONG.

SUSTAINED EFFORTS TO PROTECT COUNTRYSIDE

THE GOVERNMENT WILL CONTINUE ITS EFFORT IN PLANTING AND MANAGING TREES IN THE COUNTRYSIDE FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF RESIDENTS AND FUTURE GENERATION,

THIS WAS STATED BY THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT'S SENIOR CONSERVATION OFFICER, MR MARTIN LEUNG, WHEN HE ADDRESSED A LUNCHEON OF THE Y'S MEN'S CLUB OF HONG KONG TODAY (THURSDAY).

NOTING THAT TREE MANAGEMENT WAS AN IMPORTANT PART IN COUNTRYSIDE CONSERVATION, MR LEUNG CALLED ON COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS AND MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ΤΟ CONTINUE THEIR SUPPORT FOR THE GOVERNMENT'S TREE PLANTING AND CARING ACTIVITIES.

OVER THE PAST 35 YEARS, VARIOUS ANNUAL ACTIVITIES HAVE BEEN ORGANISED BY THE DEPARTMENT TO INVOLVE THE GENERAL PUBLIC IN TREE PLANTING WORK. LAST YEAR, MORE THAN 22,000 RESIDENTS PARTICIPATED THE ACTIVITIES.

IN

"LET US JOIN HANDS TO MAKE OUR COUNTRYSIDE GREEN, BEAUTIFUL AND PRODUCTIVE SO AS TO MEET THE OBJECTIVES OF THE WORLD CONSERVATION STRATEGY, HE SAID.

++

ON GOVERNMENT'S EFFORT IN AFFORESTATION, MR LEUNG POINTED OUT THAT IT STARTED IN THE NEW TERRITORIES ABOUT THE TURN OF THE CENTURY то PROTECT THE HILLSIDES, AND TO PROVIDE FUEL AND SMALL TIMBER FOR LOCAL RESIDENTS.

THIS RESULTED IN A GOOD TREE COVER BY 1940. HOWEVER, THE FORESTRY WORK WAS WASTED DURING A WAR BETWEEN 1940 AND 1945, WHEN THE DEMAND FOR FIREWOOD LED TO WIDESPREAD CUTTING OF TREES AND STRIPPING OF HILLS.

"SHORTLY AFTER THE SECOND WORLD WAR, REAFFORESTATION BY BROADCASTING OF PINE SEEDS WAS CARRIED OUT TO REVEGETATE THE BARREN

HILLS.

/"STRICT PROTECTION