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The Director of Home Affairs, Mrs Pamela Tan, today (February 17) said the Government had implemented a series of promotional and educational measures as well as conservation work in an effort to conserve the Wishing Trees at Lam Tsuen, Tai Po.
She called on visitors who wanted to make wishes to place the paper placards onto the Chinese-style wooden racks set up next to the Wishing Trees during the Lunar New Year.
Mrs Tan was pleased that publicity measures had proved effective. Visitors were co-operative and willing to make use of the wooden wishing racks to make wishes.
"We ask visitors to continue to contribute to the protection of the Wishing Trees while making wishes during the Lunar New Year.
"Let us join to improve the wish-making practice and make the traditional custom suitable for our future generations," she said.
The Tai Po District Office has stepped up publicity measures during the Lunar New Year by mounting banners and broadcasting messages to remind visitors to cherish the natural environment, not to throw paper placards onto the Wishing Trees, and to place the placards on the wooden racks next to the Wishing Trees.
The Civil Aid Service and the Police have also rendered support to help remind visitors not to throw placards.
Like last year, the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department will organise a market fair at Fong Ma Po, Lam Tsuen from 8am to 6pm every day during the Lunar New Year (i.e. between the first day of the Lunar New Year to the 15th). As part of the conservation measures, only designated goods can be sold in the fair and placards with heavy objects (including fruit) will not be allowed.
Mrs Tan said the Tai Po District Office, together with the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and tree experts, had been monitoring the situation of the tree closely and carrying out conservation work.
With the professional advice from the relevant experts and departments, the Tai Po District Office carried out a wide range of conservation work last year including fertilisation, trimming rotten branches, protecting the aerial roots, grass-cutting, mulching, installing a bracing system as well as extinguishing insects and termites. The required conservation work will continue in the coming year.
According to the Leisure and Cultural Services Department, the health of the tree was fair. The number of aerial roots had slightly increased and the tree was recovering slowly.
Ends/Saturday, February 17, 2007
Issued at HKT 14:01
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