The Importance of Tree Planting and its Protection
I have remarked on several occasions about the
importance of tree planting both in India, our current home, and in
Tibet as well. Today, as a symbolic gesture we are having a tree
planting ceremony here in the settlement. Fortunately, the movement
towards a deeper commitment to environmental protection through
planting new trees and taking care of the existing ones, is rapidly
increasing all over the world. At the global level, trees and forests
are closely linked with weather patterns and also the maintenance of a
crucial balance in nature. Hence, the 'task of environment protection
is a universal responsibility of all of us. I think that is extremely
important for the Tibetans living in the settlements to not only take a
keen interest in the cause of environmental protection, but also to
implement this ideal in action by planting new trees. In this way, we
will be making an important gesture to the world in demonstrating our
global concern and at the same time making our own little but
significant, contribution to the cause.
If we look around, we can now see that those houses in the monasteries
and in various camps where people have planted fruit trees, now enjoy
great benefit as a consequence of their action. First of all, if there
is a tree in your courtyard it creates around it an atmosphere of
natural beauty and serenity. It is also obvious that you can eat the
fruits from the tree, sit under it and enjoy the cool shade. What was
required on your part was a little patience to allow some time for the
tree to grow up.
Finally, I would like to make a suggestion
regarding the use of your farmland in the settlement. In this
settlement you have already initiated a project of planting fruit trees
on farmlands. I think it is a very good plan. By planting fruit trees
on your land we can not only ensure that the farmland remains
productive, but also you will have fruits to eat. In short, I would
like to again emphasize that it is extremely important to plant new
trees and protect the ones already growing around
you.
Speech on December 6, J 990, at a special
ceremony held in Doeguling Tibetan Settlement, Mundgod, South India.
Adapted from Appropriate Technology for Tibetan's (ApTibet) Newsletter
No.5, September 1991
