Participating province: Xinjiang Autonomous Region

Organized by: Center for Environmental Education and Communication, Xinjiang Autonomous Region Environmental Protection Bureau

Total funds received from Friends of the Fragile Earth, Church of the Epiphany, Clarks Summit, Pennsylvania through the Virtual Foundation: $1000

Number of Participating Schools:10 schools

Number of Participating Students: 5000 students; more than half of the students are members of ethnic minorities

Description:

In early 2000, Zhou Yun, Trees for Life project director of Chinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, contacted Mr. Li Hongxu, Director of Center for Environmental Education and Communication, Xinjiang Autonomous Region Environmental Protection Bureau and introduced this project to him. After Mr. Li introduced this project to schools there, he phoned me and told me that all the schools were very interested in this project and would like to participate in the project right away. In early May, Trees for Life office sent 5100 books, 5000 planting cartons and seeds to Xinjiang Autonomous Region.

Center for Environmental Education and Communication, together with School Board and schools organized trainings for science teachers from participating schools. After the training, the science teachers held a Trees for Life project class and helped student plant the little seeds. Now the trees are growing healthily in the wild.

At the end of 2000, Center for Environmental Education and Communication, Xinjiang Autonomous Region Environmental Protection Bureau sent a report to Zhou Yun, along with some pictures. In the report, they said that the responses from teachers and students were very good and many other schools were asking whether they could participate in the project.