Press Releases

AFCD invites public to join tree planting
Thursday, March 15, 2001

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) invites members of the public to participate in tree planting activities of the Community Tree Planting Scheme to be held in three coming Sundays.

"The Scheme is an annual programme organised by AFCD to provide opportunities for public involvement in countryside conservation work and to enhance their awareness on nature conservation. It is made up of two sections: 'tree planting for the public' and 'tree planting for organised group'," an AFCD spokesman said today (March 15).

"Tree planting for the public" will be organised from 10 am to 4 pm at Shui Tseng Wan on Lantau Island on March 18, Pak Tam Chung in Sai Kung on March 25 and Shek Lung Kung in Tai Lam on April 1. Prior enrollment to these activities is not required.

Participants will be provided with seedlings and planting tools by AFCD from the registration points on first-come-first-serve basis.

As the walking distance from the registration point to each planting site varies from half an hour to one and a half hour with uphill walk, members of the public are advised to select an appropriate planting site taking their account their physique.

"On tree planting activities for organised groups", the spokesman said, "response to these activities is overwhelming. The quota of a number of these tree planting activities to be held at various country parks from March 17 to April 30 is filled already," he said. The Community Tree Planting Scheme was first organised in 1957. The number of participants had increased from a few hundred in the early days to around 35,000 last year. All the seedlings for the tree planting activities were raised in AFCD's tree nursery at Tai Tong, Yuen Long. Over 640,000 tree seedlings were planted in country parks last year by the concerted efforts of the public, corporations and country park staff. Further information on the tree planting activities can be obtained from AFCD's web site (http://www.info.gov.hk/afcd). For enquiries, please call 2421 2244.