Himalayan Times (1957)

Eight Si..ii.Ueatt ?iin*» J'lly 7, 1957

FESTIVAL OF THE TREES

The 8th V anamahotsava has been inaugural'd all over the countu on July 1, 1957.
This article describes the observance of similar fstivals in different countrits.

. Tree festivals are
celebrated under such
names as "Arbor Day"
or 'Arbor Week", "Tree
Holiday" and ' Festival of
the Trees". There is also
the "Greening Week" in
Japan, 'The New Year's
Day of the Trees" in
the Iirael; 'The Tree-
Loving Week" in Korea,
"The Reforestation Week"
in Yugoslavia and "The
Students' Afforestation
Day" in Iceland. The
annual celebration of Va-
namahotsava, inspired by
anoient Indian traditions
is another such festival
of great significance.

Trees adorn our homes,
our oities and villages.
They( provide shelter to
our farms and to our
wild life. They afford
restful shade and peace
from the worries and tur-
moil of our daily toil
when we seek their hea-
ling presence in recrea-
tioual parks and national
reserves. Trees provide
fuel, fodder, timber and
fruit. As windbreaks and
shelter-belts they help to
protect field o/ops. The
abundance or absence of
tree orops have a direct
bearing on industrial de-
velopment social progress
and national strength.

The Sixth Session of
the Conference of the
Food and Agriculture Or-
ganisation of the United
Nations realising the need
of arousing mass con-
ciousness of the aesthetic,
physical and economic
value of the trees recom-
mended that a World Fes-
tival of the Trees be
celebrated annually in
eacb nlember country on
a date suited to local
conditior s.

Tn the Soviet Union
specially bred fruit and
berry trees, which support
bees and birds, apsrt from
increasing food and wine
supplies, are planted even
in the shelter-belts. These
trees are attractive to bees
at blossom time and prove
of wider interest thsn with
reference to bee-keepirg
only. Such bees visit
other flowers also and
help in the wider inci-
dence of cross pollinstion
in agricultural and other
crops, which in turn lead
to improvements in the
quality and quantity of
these yields.

In New Zealand em-
phasis is given on planting
of shelter-belts and of
new highways, "the crea-
tion or preservation of

the native silva" and in-
creased attention to "as-
pects of social forestry,
such us planting and pre
servation of amenity trees
and food-producing treee.
particularly 'bee-trees'."
In Unitid Stalft. two new
elements have been intro-
duced into the Arbor Day
plan—the day has been
made a school festival
and the practice of plant-
ing memorial trees and
groves has been started
In Iceland there is Stu-
dents' Afforestation Day
Act by which tree plant-
ing is made compulsory
on one day a year during
school term and at a time
when afforestation condi-
tions are favourable. In
United Kingdom the
Forestry Commission apart
from providing the seed-
lings for Arbor Day plant-
ing ceremonies, also allo-
cates plots of existing
foreBt in various stages
cf development to schools
who "adopt" them and
are responsible for their
care and maintenance In
Italy prizes are awarded
to children who have given
particular attention to
the care of trees, and
tours are arranged to ob-
serve the results obtained
( Continued on pig* 10)