Padoh Man Ba Tun, head of the Karen National Union (KNU) Central Executive Committee’s Forestry Department, urged indigenous communities to work together to promote forest welfare and protection on the International Day of Forests, observed on March 21.
He remarked in a speech that day that the Forest Department has spearheaded initiatives for the benefit of forests and that local communities need to actively cooperate.
“Conservation and nurturing efforts all require strong community participation. Our department has also developed plans to strengthen cooperation with indigenous communities. We have been working to establish forest reserves for each village, as well as forest management units,” he said.
At the ceremony, hosted by the KNU’s Forestry Department and held in the Central Executive Committee’s territory, Padoh Man Ba Tun and several KNU leaders delivered speeches to mark the International Day of Forests.
Department officials and Karen youth also gave presentations and speeches on the history of the International Day of Forests, the livelihoods of indigenous communities, climate change issues, and the link between the revolutionary struggle and forest conservation efforts.
“Forests and water resources are crucial to all of our daily lives. Growing a tree takes time and effort, while cutting one down can be done in moments. Regrowing a tree is a slow process with many limitations. That is why we want everyone to understand the value of trees and to help conserve them,” said Saw Pho Htoo, a Karen youth leader.
The event was attended by around 50 people, including Padoh Naw Dar Dar, a permanent member of the Central Executive Committee, as well as forestry department officials and youths.
The International Day of Forests, officially designated by the United Nations (UN) General Assembly in 2012, has been observed annually in all UN member states since 2013.
The KNU’s Forestry Department also designated July 1 as Kawthoolei Tree Planting Day in 2017. In 2023, the KNU Congress expanded this initiative to cover the entire month of July, declaring it Kawthoolei Collective Tree Planting Month, which has since been observed annually.
