Resolution of the Council of People’s Commissars on the Tree-Planting Campaign[1]

(March 16, 1932)

In order to safeguard field production from devastation by floods and droughts, which reduce rural production and affect the livelihood of the masses, the most convenient and effective method is none other than extensively planting trees to secure riverbanks and embankments and prevent the occurrence of floods and droughts. Moreover, this method can also protect roads and benefit hygiene. As for resolving the difficulty of daily fuel needs (such as firewood and charcoal) and increasing fruit production, these bring even greater benefits to the peasant masses. Furthermore, throughout the Central Soviet Area, barren hills and wastelands exist everywhere; it would be most unfitting to let them lie waste. Therefore, it is decided to carry out a universal tree-planting campaign, which is both beneficial to land construction and can increase the interests of the masses. As the time is now early spring, most suitable for planting trees, the following measures are hereby decided, and all levels of government must implement them earnestly.

1. All levels of government shall conduct extensive propaganda among the masses for the tree-planting campaign, explaining the benefits of planting trees, and mobilize the masses to plant all kinds of trees.

2. All kinds of trees shall be planted extensively along both banks of rivers and both sides of main roads. On barren hills suitable for planting trees, trees shall be planted wherever possible in order to develop forests. It is imperative that open spaces and vacant lands all be planted with trees.

3. At the time of planting, each township and district government shall examine which land or hill is suitable for planting which kind of tree, and notify the masses to select seeds accordingly.

4. In order to protect forests and the growth of trees, during spring and summer, indiscriminate

[1] This is a resolution on the tree-planting campaign issued by the Council of People’s Commissars of the Provisional Central Government of the Chinese Soviet Republic, with Mao Zedong, Xiang Ying, and others as the issuers.

cutting shall be prohibited, so as not to harm the growth of trees.

5. This campaign is best carried out by using emulation to inspire the masses. Henceforth, attention shall be paid to cultivating tree seeds, and such campaigns shall be conducted every spring.