Directive No. 75/CT-BNN-TCLN on launching the "Tree Planting Festival" to perpetuate President Ho Chi Minh's legacy for the Year of the Cat 2011

 DIRECTIVE

Regarding the launch of the "Tree Planting Festival" to perpetually remember Uncle Ho in the Year of the Cat 2011

Implementing the "Tree Planting Festival" initiated by Uncle Ho, in recent years, all levels, sectors, localities, units, mass organizations, and people across the country have actively responded and participated. The tree planting, forest planting, and forest protection movement has truly brought about significant benefits and become a traditional cultural beauty of the Vietnamese nation.

To continue to promote the fine tradition of the "Tree Planting Festival," the Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development requests localities to implement the following tasks:

1. Strengthen propaganda work so that all levels, sectors, and all strata of the people clearly understand the benefits of forests and afforestation, thereby promoting scattered tree planting. Scattered tree planting is less costly but yields many benefits, utilizing land to achieve economic efficiency, improve the environment, landscape, and contribute to mitigating and adapting to climate change.

2. In order for tree planting to be effective, localities and units must develop specific plans, allocate funds, and strictly organize implementation; each grassroots unit must have detailed plans regarding location, type of trees, area, number of trees planted, and after planting, ensure proper care to guarantee survival and good growth of the trees; specifically in the following areas:

- For the delta region, choose and arrange tree planting around houses, canal banks, roadsides, field boundaries, along rivers, near dikes... to establish protective rows of trees for wood, firewood, flowers, and fruits;

- For cities, towns, townships, and market towns, plant trees on streets, roads, parks to provide shade and enhance the landscape;

- Within agencies, industrial zones, units, schools, hospitals, arrange for green tree planting to provide shade and enhance the landscape;

- For the midland and mountainous regions, plant trees on hills, vacant lands, forest gardens, forest farms using integrated agriculture-forestry methods to maximize comprehensive benefits;

- For coastal areas, plant trees in belts to protect against waves, prevent land erosion, block winds, and stop sand drift.

The "Tree Planting Festival" should be organized practically, economically, avoiding formalism, and creating a strong movement to mobilize all strata of the people to participate actively. Tree planting should be launched at appropriate times but carried out throughout the year according to local conditions, seasons, and soil types:

- For northern provinces and cities, starting from the beginning of the Year of the Cat;

- For southern provinces and cities, taking May 19, the birthday of Uncle Ho, as the start date.

4. Localities must submit their 2011 forest planting and scattered tree planting plans and implementation results to the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development for consolidation and reporting to the Prime Minister. After implementing the "Tree Planting Festival" annually, localities must organize inspections and evaluations. Organizations and individuals who perform well should be encouraged and rewarded, while those who perform inadequately must be reviewed and learn lessons.

The Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development requests localities and units to organize and implement accordingly./.