Sri Lanka launched the 'One Million Tree Stories' Project
on 20-02-2015 at the Sports Ministry Auditorium in Colombo.
The ceremony was held under the patronage of Minister of Environment, Natural Resources and Sports Navin Dissanayake with the participation of Miss World Rolene Strauss and Rotary International Vice Chairperson Cruz De Giay.
Sri Lanka Tourism in partnership with Rotary Sri Lanka
and Hatton National Bank is sponsoring this project, with the objective of
planting one million trees in Sri Lanka within this year and to have a greener
environment for future generations by inspiring, engaging and supporting people
to take personal responsibility for the environment, making it safe, healthy
and sustainable and to share the process as a model for the country.
Research finds every human being is emotionally attached to a tree at some
point in their lives. Hence the theme “One Million Tree Stories” was coined.
The Forest Department of the Ministry of Environment and
Natural Resources has revealed that "Sri Lanka's forest coverage has
reduced from 53% to 29% as at 2012". Therefore, with the objective
of ensuring the children of this country to have ‘Tourism Industry' in Sri
Lanka that could be proud of just like today, the stake holders decided to
unite as an industry and to launch the project "One million Tree
Stories" with Miss World - Rolene Strauss.