Thimphu, Bhutan, June 3, 2020: To commemorate Social Forestry Day, the Bhutan Ecological Society signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Bhutan Olympic Committee on June 2 to beautify sport venues. The event was marked with the planting of fruit tree saplings at the skate park in Bebena, Thimphu.
Under the MoU, similar saplings will be planted in football fields and other open spaces managed by the BOC in the country.
Speaking to BBS media, programme leader Pem Lama said that the MoU was expected to involve young people in understanding and living with nature.
“We feel that, through sports, the Bhutan Olympic Committee is already trying to bring active lifestyles to the young people. Through this collaboration we can encourage young people to be involved with nature.”
This is the first such collaboration with the BOC since the inception of the “fruits for all” initiative in 2018 by the Bhutan Ecological Society. The initiative was started to nurture green public spaces in urban areas.
The Society has so far collaborated with local governments and schools in Thimphu, Wangdue Phodrang and Tsirang and planted over 1,000 fruit bearing plants.
Pem Lama said they chose fruit trees because they were more interactive with the environment and also because fruit trees enhanced bird and insect diversity in urban areas.
“We really feel it is important not just to build structures but also incorporate a lot of green elements in places we live. Our main objective is to bring people closer to the environment and the way we want to do it is through the planting of fruit trees,” said Pem Lama.
Source: BBS
