Chairman of State Administration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing plants Gangaw sapling at 2022 monsoon tree-planting ceremony in Nay Pyi Taw Union Territory
NAY PYI TAW August 11
A 2022 monsoon tree-plant-ing ceremony was held on both sides of Sabei Road, a road to Maravijaya Pagoda, in Dekkinathiri Township, Dekkina Dis-
trict, at Nay Pyi Taw Union Territory at 7:30 am today, attended by Chairman of State Ad-ministration Council Prime Minister Senior General Min Aung Hlaing who planted a Gangaw sapling.
Also present together with the Senior General were SAC Vice Chairman Deputy Prime Minister Vice-Senior General Soe Win, SAC members, the Secretary and the Joint Secretary, Union-level officials, the Nay Pyi Taw Council chairman, chief ministers of regions and states, the Chief of General Staff (Army, Navy and Air), chairmen of self-administered areas, senior military officers from the Office of the Commander-in-Chief, the
Nay Pyi Taw Command commander, deputy ministers, ministry staff, students of Forestry and Environmental Science University and basic education schools and officials.
Speaking at the ceremony, the Senior General said the State has already held the pre-monsoon and early-monsoon tree-planting ceremonies and now it holds the mid-monsoon tree-planting ceremony. The promotion of public participation in forest resources sustainability, biodiversity conservation and environmental greening is the goal of the ceremonies.
Support has been given to tree-planting activities with the public involvement in accord with the motto “Plant trees while the soil is moist” as tree planting and conservation can green and beautify the natural environment. This year’s goal is to grow 30.57 million trees in the entire country in this monsoon season. The relevant ministry has met the target, so it must concentrate on the flourishing of the planted trees.
The State is conducting Green Campaigns with the aim of conserving and greening the environment, helping develop the economy and generate job opportunities, combating global warming and climate change. Likewise, regional countries like Pakistan, Vietnam and Philippines are also launching Green Campaigns under their own specific programs.
The role of forests is of vital importance in combating climate change. A hectare of forest can store 53.2 metric tons of carbon, and the world’s trees are storing over 200 billion metric tons of carbon. Annually they absorb over 16.2 million metric tons of carbon dioxide in a year. Hence, forest conservation and establishment must be prioritized.
According to research, Myanmar is included in the list of countries vulnerable to the consequences of global climate change. High temperatures and rainfall changes may invite more cyclones, followed by increasing heavy rains, floods, and droughts. Short monsoon, generated by its late arrival and early departure, may harm the country’s agro industry.
Many lives and a great deal of property were lost when Nargis cyclonic storm hit Ayeyawady and Yangon regions in May 2008. The government had to spare a lot of energy for rehabilitation programs. It was one of the disasters caused by climate change. On the other hand, mangroves protected lives and property from strong winds and high tides during Nargis. This proves the importance of mangrove conservation and regeneration.
Myanmar’s mangrove forests are the seventh largest in the world. Large areas of mangrove forest are found along the Mya-nmar coast in Rakine State, Ayeyawady and Taninthayi regions. Mangrove forests pro-vide basic needs of the coastal people. Their role is of vital im-portance in ecosystem that helps increase the country’s marine products, develop tourism and mitigate climate change and prevent natural disasters.
Hence, directives were given to prioritize the task of conserving and reestablishing mangrove forests during the trips to coastal regions and states. Coastal resources management committee was formed at the national level. The State is extending forest reserves/protected areas, marine national parks,
establishing State-owned man-grove nurseries, and setting up large areas of mangrove forests, shade trees in 60 coastal township including Cocogyun with public participation. So, region/state governments and social organizations should take part in the job actively together with the relevant ministry.
A network of natural watercourses including four major rivers of the country is providing over800 million cubic feet of fresh water annually. The whole country is using only over 45 million cubic feet of fresh water annually which is just around 5 percent of the total volume flowing in the watercourses.
Myanmar has much potential for marine resources development, marine-business-based investments for continuous national development. So, effe
ctive conservation means should be applied in protecting forests in the watershed areas in order to conserve the fresh water network.
Relevant ministries and regional and state governments are required to effectively carry out conservation of forests in watershed areas in coordination with one another as deforestation in watershed areas leads to undesirable consequences like direct flow of soil into rivers and creeks, land erosion, floods, losses of underground water, silty rivers and creeks and damage to farmland and disrupts development tasks such as water utilization, generation of electricity, production of marine animals and transportation.
As the country is abundant in ecosystems and various natural resources due to its geography location, emphasis must be placed on conservation of forests in the dry zones, which receive less rainfalls. Deforestation of
dry zone forests causes droughts, losses of underground water, disappearance of natural springs, soil degradation and de-
sertification while affecting the water supply for cultivation and livelihoods of local people. To give an example, natural springs
have reemerged and the weather has become predictable, con-tributing to thriving agriculture, lush and green environment and development in the surrounding areas of Mt. Popa, an oasis in the dry zone, where greening tasks have been effectively carried out since 1990. As the government is carrying out geening tasks in dry zones such as conservation of tropical forest, reforestation, the digging and maintenance of wells and lake for rural water supply and substitution of firewood with energy efficient stoves, it is necessary for departmental staff, local residents and stakeholders to cooperate and participate in the greening tasks.
The government is taking effective measures for reduction and responses of the impacts of climate change, prevention of natural disasters, food security and conservation of diverse forest ecosystems, which are vital for socioeconomic development, in the entire country while cooperating with international organizations and implementing international conventions.
To encourage reforestation and planting trees in accordance with the Myanmar tradition of planting trees in the interests of future generations with far-sightedness, the government is promoting public participation in tree planting ceremonies along the entrance path of Mara- vijaya Buddha Park, where the world largest marble Buddha Image is being built, to make the environment green and lush and to enable the public to make pilgrimage in peace of mind. It is the fourth time tree planting ceremonies were held along the path, which will become a lush and green and pleasant avenue in the future. As visitors will be able to enjoy the cool, shady and pleasant environs, it is a great meritorious deed.
Emphasis must be placed on nationwide reforestation and greening tasks, which are essential for sustainable development of the country, food security and prevention and reduction of the impacts of climate change. Conservation of the country’s forest resources, which contribute to socioeconomic development, life and property and basic needs, must be carried out in accordance with old adages such as “Climate depends on fore-sts,” “Spring water is available only where there are forests and mountains,” “Deforestation leads to soil erosion,” and “Dry forests and mountains make farming impossible .”In conclusion, the Senior General urged all participants to carry out activities for conservation of abundant forest resources, biodiversity and environment as a national duty to systematically utilize them for national development by placing emphasis on negative impacts of deforestation.
Then, the Senior General and the Vice - Senior General planted Kant Kaw (Mesua ferrea) sap-lings at designated places.
Then, members, the secretary and the joint-secretary of the SAC, union-level officials, dignitaries, officials and staff of ministries and students from the University of Forest and Environmental and basic education schools and responsible officials planted saplings on both sides of Sabei Road.
Afterwards, the Senior General inspected the tree planting ac-
tivities of the participants of the ceremony.
A total of 776 saplings of Kant Kaw (Mesua ferrea), star flower and gold mohur were planted as a public campaign at the ceremony today.