Tree Planting Site
Planting Seedling
Planting Fir Trees
China
Second day of planting, Tongwei
Checking previously planted trees.
School children and their parents helping with planting.
Associated Activities
Our affiliate in Japan, 2050, carries out a project in China entitled "Greening of the Silk Road", designed to reduce global warming gases in the air, to stop desertification, and to preserve underground water in the Loess Plateau of China.
With the cooperation of the China Population Welfare Foundation (a government based private foundation) in Beijing, the Forestry Department and China Family Planning Association of the Gansu Provincial Government, a large scale tree-planting project was launched in November 2006, just outside Lanzhou, the capital of Gansu Province. A local enterprise dedicated to tree-planting was established mobilizing local farmers (mainly women) to promote a self-help spirit among them.
Seabuckthorn Tree Planting Activities
WIN International sent in a group of 6 senior citizens from its affiliate in Japan, NPO 2050, to Tongwei County, Dingxi City, Gansu Province,China in October this year to carry out tree-planting activities there.
The group arrived in Lanzhou, late in the evening of 7 October. After detailed discussions with the officials of the Gansu Provincial Government on 8 October, the group moved to the planting site, some 180 kilometers away from Lanzhou.
It was blowing and cold on 9 October but 300 people gathered to participate in an opening ceremony, representing the Tongwei County Government, Gansu Population and Family Planning Association, China Greenery Fund, China Population Welfare Fund and local schools. The ceremony was covered by the local TV: the participants were shivering but their spirit was high. We were happy that we could plant about 40,000 trees on the first day.
The second day of planting took place on a hill over-looking the town of Tongwei. We planted about 5000 trees in the morning with about 100 farmers. We went down-hill in the afternoon to inspect the nursery maintained and managed by Mr. Su Benshan for tree-planting activities in the County. We were happy to see that the nursery was ready to meet the demand for planned activities and the workers were pleased with the employment opportunities they now have.
In addition, we checked how trees we planted in October 2007 were growing in the area adjacent to the nursery. We could verify that everything was under control and trees were growing nicely.
The third day's planting was with 250 students from local schools and their parents. We together planted more than 15,000 trees over 10 ha of land. It was nice to see school children taking an active role in the restoration of the environment and inter-acting with a group of Japanese people.These tree planting activities were concluded with a meeting with the Chinese people engaged in this tree-planting project. They intend to plant trees on their own in an area of more than 1333 ha by the end of 2008 and 2,666 ha in 2009, combining resources of their own and those from the Japanese supporter, the Cosmo Oil Company, Japan. Their plan calls for greening of 20,000 ha in seven years. Continued support from the Cosmo Oil Company is therefore indispensable for the success of this project undertaking. It is also planned that a juice processing plant will be established in Gansu in 2010. Accordingly, they will send Mr. Su to Japan in September 2009 to gather the necessary information required for the operation of the plant. NPO 2050 will extend its support to Mr. Su to make his visit a fruitful one.
It was very clear from our observation on the spot and the discussions we had with the Chinese counterparts that all logistic and administrative arrangements were in place, both the government officials and farmers were serious about tree-planting activities, and they have started to mobilize their own resources were. We can assert from these observations that this project will proceed without major problems.
The tree-planting activities will take place every April in Shaanxi Province and every October in Gansu Province. Volunteers are invited to plant trees in China along with Chinese and Japanese counterparts.
April 2009 Shaanxi, China Report
July 2009 Shaanxi, China Report
It costs $60 to plant and nurture 200 Seabuckthorn trees. Donations for this tree-planting activities are invited and will be appreciated very much.
Win International
P.O. Box 3867, New York, NY 10163-3867
Tel/Fax: 212-661-5654
Website:www.win-int.org
Street address: 5 Tudor City Place #1231, New York, NY 10017
April 1, 2008
Dear International Friends,
I wish to express our utmost gratitude to you on behalf of my fellow citizens of China. My name is Chao Lun and I practice medicine in Yulin. I learnt about your activities from Prof. Sun Ruo Huai and was tremendously impressed by what you are doing. I therefore decided to join the tree-planting activities you are conducting this time.
Yulin, sandwiched between the Loess Plateau and the Mu Us Desert, is under the influence of climatic changes taking place in Siberia. The land surface is bare, sand dunes advance towards the city and a vast area is subject to desertification. Serious water shortages, land erosion, un-regulated waste disposal, all coupled with a rapid industrialization process, are accelerating the environmental pollution. The government is trying to cope with this problem but with difficulties. These environmental problems extend to suburban communities, leaving the land un-attended. Mountains are bare, rivers are filled by sand, and the land is scorched by the Sun. Thus, sand storms and water shortages affect people's lives adversely. These problems, I believe, will affect not only China but also other countries on this planet.
Under the circumstances, I am convinced that your current tree-planting activities give us citizens of Yulin and Shaanxi Province a hope and a vision for the future. We are really grateful to the members of your organization. The tree-planting activities by your organization have taught the people here about the importance of protecting the environment by themselves and of the need to upgrade their living standards on their own.
Our joint efforts at Mahuangliang, Yulin have just begun. I wish that your organization will be the guiding light for each and every citizen of this city and the leaves of planted trees will soon cover the sky. All of us here, in Yulin and Shaanxi Province, welcome you and thank you for what you are doing for us.
I pray that your activities will expand and I offer my thanks to you for your humanitarian assistance. I pledge that I will do my utmost in our joint endeavor to protect the environment.
Yours sincerely,- sd -
(Chao Lun)