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National Tree Planting month

by Florence Wickramage

The establishment of Tree Sanctuaries around religious places of worship and sacred areas will be a new concept that will be introduced with the launching of the National Tree Planting month commencing on October 20th as the National Tree Planting Day, Environment and Natural Resources Ministry's Additional Secretary Sunil Sarath Perera told the Daily News yesterday. The National Tree Planting month is conducted annually for the purpose of maintaining environmental quality and its advancement and to promote awareness regarding the importance of protecting trees.

The National Tree Planting Day and Month has now been scheduled for the month of October, since many parts of the island receives rainfall during this period. As such the month of October has been found favourable for the planting of new trees and the establishment of new plant nurseries.

The Tree Planting Campaign will focus attention on planting trees that are endemic and threatened. Tree species such as Bamboo and Kumbuk will be planted along river banks catchment areas, waterways and other places found suitable for these species of trees. A special programme will be launched to plant Kumbuk trees along the Menik Ganga in Kataragama since most of such trees that exist in this area are old and withering, Sunil Sarath Perera said.

The tree planting campaign will be conducted in home gardens, school premises, by roadways, river banks, catchment areas and around waterways.

The Tree Planting Day will be launched simultaneously in Urban Council and Provincial Council areas, District Secretaries Divisions and at rural and village levels. The participation of state and private sector institutions and non governmental organisations as well as the general public are anticipated to make the National Tree Planting Campaign a success.

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