Tree planting contest launched by govt

Tree planting contest launched by govt

JAKARTA (JP): The office of the State Minister of Environment
has initiated a regreening contest in an attempt to rejuvenate
the public's interest in the One Million Trees Movement.

Minister Sarwono Kusumaatmadja said on Wednesday that his
office will grant awards to those individuals and private or
government agencies who display an outstanding dedication to
planting trees in their areas.

Closing a national meeting on the environment, he said the
award is expected to be as prestigious as the Kalpataru award,
which the government grants every year to people who make
outstanding environmental conservation efforts.

The contest will be open at the district, regency and
provincial levels.

"We hope that the awards will help maintain the public's
interest in the One Million Trees Movement," he said, referring
to a regreening drive initiated by President Soeharto.

He did not say the name of the award to be given but said that
it is being set up at the request of President Soeharto, who
wants to see more trees planted.

"Everybody should participate and help make the tree planting
drive a success," Sarwono quoted Soeharto as saying.

Sarwono also invited the public to register now. The contest,
however, is closed to those employed at the Ministry of Forestry,
private sector employees in forest-based industries and those in
fields related to government regreening programs.

Participants should describe any tree planting activities or
regreening programs that they have been a part of in the past
five years.

Sarwono's office will announce the winners and present the
award on Nov. 5, in coincidence with Flora and Fauna Day.

The One Million Trees Movement was launched in January 1993 by
President Soeharto as part of the nation's regreening program.
The President instructed each of the 27 provinces in the country
to plant one million trees per year.

The campaign officially started with the planting of 1,000
trees at Monas Square Park in Jakarta.

During the closing ceremony of the meeting, Coordinating
Minister for Production and Distribution Hartarto presented
awards to the five vice-governors whose provinces won this year's
clean river contest.

They are the provinces of East Java, Central Java, Lampung,
South Sumatra and Jakarta. (16)