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NGOs
Mark Tree Day With Planting Ceremony
To
celebrate today’s World Tree Day, local NGOs Mlup
Baitong and Mith Samlan/friends will plant the first
of 10,000 trees near Kirirom Nation al Park.
Approximately
200 students and 50 monks will plant native species of
trees in Phnom Sruich district, Kompong speu province,
where over-exploitation of resources has left a
once-densely forested area “destroy, “ said Manuel
Garcia, an environmental Scientist working with Mlup
Baitong. The organization, whose name means “ green
shade, “has several environmental education projects
in three pagodas and 20 schools in the district.
It
teaches police, monks, teachers, students and local
officials about the importance of trees.
Trees
provide medicine and fruit for local populations, and
they also clean the air and water. Cambodia’s
forests suffer from exploitation by the timber
industry and locals who gather too much material to
sell as firewood.
Garcia
said Mlup Baitong is encouraging businesses to
participate in projects such as the tree planting.
“We
want to create a sort of interest from private
enterprise companies in the environment, “he said.
Street
children from Friends also will participate.
Tuesday’s planting will only be ceremonial, because
World Tree Day doesn’t fit in with Cambodia’s
seasons.
By
Brian Calvert
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