山西四月行日誌 (2010年4月3日至6日)
第一天
由尖沙咀乘坐跨境巴士到深圳機場直飛太原。關永光醫生，葉榮根先生，高志豪先生，莊厚明醫生及太太和兒子，相約在太原機場集合。是日下午五時飛機降落在太原機場,當大家下機後立即乘車出發前往石樓，在高速公路上的休息站，約用了大概半小時進食晚飯，終於在晚上九時半到達了石樓。
第二天
我們花了整個早上及下午徒步巡視了在四江村的植林區。在第一期植林區中，由施永青先生捐贈的樹苗，現已生長成為12-15呎高的樹木 (圖1)
。
雖然在寒冬中樹木落掉了樹葉，但因這些樹坑是用松樹皮覆蓋，泥土即使挖深了數寸，仍然保持了濕潤 (圖2)。
因在每個樹坑中所種的3棵樹苗大都生存，故其存活率應超過90%。
我們沿着山路檢視了其他植林區域。而在去年春天在170畝耕地上所種植的樹苗,因路途太遠而未能徒步前往，故我們只好在山頂上遠眺瞭望(圖3) 。
我們亦見到根據當地農林部研究院長鄺先生建議方法種植的20畝耕地植苗樹坑( 一半是晶苑集團資助 ) (圖4左方的葉子形狀田地)。
依照這季的樹苗成長，在樹坑中生長的樹苗，正常是看不到有樹葉發芽現象的。但幸宜在樹皮底下都是存在綠色的生機(圖5) 
文斌報告了一個令人憂慮的問題，在上年度補種的苗有8000棵，很不幸的其中有2000棵桑樹的根部，被土老鼠咬壞因而枯萎(圖 6)。
原因是大量種植桑樹及其甜根部，所以吸引了這批不速之客到來進行破壞。我們立即和有關人士討論如何能盡早解決這嚴重問題，村長的建議是用胡蘿蔔混入毒藥滅殺這些地下老鼠。但我們很希望能找出最佳的方法，採用有效的根治去控制鼠患及保護植林區的樹木成長。土老鼠的天敵如貓頭鷹亦可考慮。
在第六段荒地上所種植的樹苗生長良好，令人喜出望外。文斌告知除了在一小部份地區的斜坡上所種的樹苗，需要補苗外，其他的存活率超過85%。在未來一年部份補苗的成長仍需在觀察中。在第一期及第二期植苗240000棵，只需補苗20000棵。現在第三期第一階段在170畝耕地植苗35600棵( 一半是晶苑集團資助 ) ，成長存活率有待觀察。去年冬天下雪後，雪水濕潤了樹坑，這是一個好消息。
我們被村長邀請到他家中午膳後，關永光醫生，葉榮根先生和我一齊攀登上第六區，檢視了該區的植苗生長，情況和去年相約，只是未曾發葉(圖 7)。
凌友詩和高志豪同時去了解一間由當地政府所建的小房屋(圖 
，
內有水井準備供應村民家，後因財政不足而停止連接水管，村民要走很遠路來打水。凌友詩決定個人經基金會捐獻約人民幣七千元資助村民完成工程。隨後由當地政府安排我們到訪了當地建築中的老人院及孤兒院，希望我們了解現有的狀況(圖9)。
文斌很強調，他們不是要求我們施出援手而加重基金會的財政壓力，而是希望我們能協助他們把訊息傳遞給有興趣及有能力的組織。支持他們重建老人院及孤兒院的計劃。整個計劃的支出預算為七百萬人民幣，而政府已批出資助金五百萬人民幣，餘數則希望能有善心人士或組織出資完成計劃。我們口頭上應允會盡力幫他們將訊息傳遞，但不保証會有任何結果。
當天晚上，當地政府鎮書記和林業部等各要員宴請了我們一起共進晚餐。我們在席上獲當地政府再承諾會全力支援當地植林的工作。
第三天
早上在石樓賓館舉行了第三期第二階段450畝荒地上植樹的簽約儀式，出席包括了當地的黨委書記，林業部負責人等各要員。合約是以力行植林慈善基金會(GACF) 和林業部簽署，文斌預算計劃在今年內會種植樹苗58500棵(圖10)。
其後我們前往連接山西與陝西的黃河大橋參觀(圖11)。
當地業林部已向政府有關部門在這裡申請以力行植林慈善基金會形式去種植生態林，但仍有待批准。我們遠眺了黃河附近已有種植30年的植林區(圖12)。
我們和當地官員一起午膳，多謝他們的熱誠款待及對我們基金會植林的工作無限量的支持。
我們於下午2:30離開，經過四個多鐘頭的車程回到太原。我們相約了鄺立剛先生一起晚餐，在席上大家討論了我們在山西植林的工作。他對我們植苗存活率比其他地方種植為高，給予我們很高的評價。這可能是本地投放的種植資源有限所引致，但據聞這方面已有改善，例如每畝投入的金額已由80元人民幣增加至200元人民幣。我們亦提出很樂意在適當場合或時機，與有關人士互相交流種植樹木的經驗，希望對山西植林作出有效用的參考。
第四天
早上八時許出發，我們約在九時半到達王文嶺。關永光醫生和葉榮根先生登上了山峄上，檢視了王文嶺樹木的成長，與上年度相比差距不多。莊厚明醫生則負責到訪當地村委，討論種植及管理問題。根據村委的報告，莊醫生確認他們作出努力不懈,使樹木生長狀況良好。在今年冬季種植樹苗的有關計劃，將會在本年度8月份作出預算。此外，莊厚明醫生向村委提出聖母大學(University of Notre Dame)的大學生會在本年度5月尾左右到訪王文嶺，希望能體驗當地的生活。村民們都很高興接受這批外國大學生在他們家中渡宿一宵，同時希望藉此訪問作出中西文化交流的好機會。當我們在村民家中吃過午飯後，約在中午12:30啟程到太原機場，正式結束了這次的行程。
Shanxi April Visit Diary (3rd to 6th April 2010)
Day 1 Travel to ShekLau
Dr. Kwan, Albert Yip, Eddy Ko and Dr. Chong’s family met together in Taiyuan Airport and travelled directly from TaiYuan airport to ShekLau at 5pm . The group arrived at ShekLau at about 9:30 pm. We took our dinner for half an hour at highway rest station.
Day 2 Inspection in ShekLau
We walked up the plantation areas in Four River village in the morning and afternoon. The phase I area, especially the area donated by Mr. Shih, is now well occupied by tall trees about 15- 20 feet high (photo 1). Although the trees had shred their leaves in winter, the soil in the tree trenches were wet (photo 2) after removing the pine tree bark cover and dug out for few inches. The estimated survival rate in that area is more than 90 % as all three trees in on trench grew.
Other parts of the plantation site were inspected when we walked up to the top of the mountain (photo 3). Though we could not walk up to the farthest site which is the 170 acres of land planted in last spring, we could see with nude eyes the tree trenches dug and the area that represent the 20 acres of land( photo 4) planted with Mr. Kwong’s method (Deputy head of the local forestry research institute). There were no leaves budding up at that season yet but the green stem underneath the tree bark had shown surviving trees.( photo 5)
One worrying discovery is that ManBen had reported an overall 8000 sapling replacement plantation last year in which 2000 young trees were damaged by a kind of underground rat (photo 6) which ate the sweet root of mulberry(桑树). It is a new threat that never met before as there were no such trees in that amount before to attract the rats. We had discussed the ways of treating this problem promptly and poison mixed in carrot to kill the rats was suggested to the local village head and will be tried. We need further investigation of an effective measures to control the rats! [one alternative was the introduction of predator e.g. owl]
The trees planted in the bare land in area 6 also grew well out of the expectation of Man Ben though there was a small area of slope which didn’t do well and needs supplementary plantation. The overall survival rate as reported by Man Ben is still more than 85% for all the trees planted.
Some trees planted supplementary still need observation for their survival in this coming year but the total supplementary trees planted so far in past years only amount to 20,000 compared with the 240,000 trees planted in phase I &II. The 35,660 trees planted in 170 acres of land in stage I of phase 3 ( Half funded by Crystal Group) needed monitoring this year for survival but the moderate snowing last winter is good for water supply when the snow melt in the tree trenches.
We took dumpling lunch provided by village head in his home and Dr. Kwan, Albert and Dr. Chong climbed up and inspected area 6, the saplings are about the same as last August though there are no leaves now.(Photo 7) Grace Ling and Eddy visited a water supply house (Photo partially finished by the government in which a well was dug to get water supply. There was however inadequate money to finish water pipe line connection to each house of the village and villagers needed to get water daily from it walking long distance. Grace Ling decided to donate the cost about RMB 7000 through the foundation to help finish the pipeline construction. We then all left for the elderly home and youth centre building planned by local home affair bureau to understand their suggestion (Photo 9). Man Ben stressed that they don’t want to pressurise our foundation on the financially support to the three planned & newly built blocks for caring of poorly old villagers and orphans. They just hoped that we can bring their needs to those interest and capable groups to support their building block which is now in progress of construction and further needs of a RMB 7 million support while 5 million was financed by the government already. We agreed to try our best as far as possible without any guarantee to any definite results.
At evening we were invited by the local home affair bureau (民政局) officials for dinner which were attended by local forestry department head and local county head. We were once again promised by full support from the local government about the plantation work of our foundation.
Day 3 Formal Ceremory for Signing Contract
Early morning we had a formal ceremony in the conference room of the ShekLau Guest House to sign up the phase III stage 2 plantation work of the 450 acres of bare land. It was attended by the local forestry heads including the party secretary and forestry department head. The contract was signed by the GACF and the local forestry department with Man Ben to plant the 58,500 trees this year. (photo 10)
We played a short visit to the yellow river where a bridge is now being built to connect Shanxi and Shaanxi (photo 11). The local forestry department had applied a project for plantation work there using the plantation method by the Green Action Charity Foundation but is still pending for approval. We also inspected a distant local forest nearby the yellow river, which were planted for more than 30 years (photo 12). We had lunch with the local county head whom had once again showed his full support to our foundation’s work and his hospitality.
We left for TaiYuan at about 2:30 pm and arrived after 4 hours of travel.
We had dinner with Mr. Kwong Lap Gong and discussed about all aspects of our plantation works which he had appraisals on our survival rate compared with local methods which had a very low input per acres. There was however said to have a change to higher input per acres these years from RMB 80 to RMB 200 and we agreed that we might need to make some suggestions according to our experience to some relevant officers at appropriate time afterward. The main theme will be to improve information exchange and hopefully to give useful reference for a better plantation results in Shanxi.
Day 4, Visit to Wang Wen Ling Site
We travelled early 8:00am to Wong Man Ling and arrived there at about 9:30am. Dr. Kwan and Albert Yip climbed up the mountain to inspect the existing trees and reported a similar survival of trees compared with last year.
Dr. Chong had an interview with the local villagers and village head to discuss the plantation management which is now under the village committee and confirmed their continued effort to maintain the trees in good condition.
There is no more need so far for management of the planted trees and winter management cost will be planed in August. Dr. Chong also discussed the end of May visit by the university students from University of Notre Dame. The villagers were very glad to be the guest home for the foreign students for one night. We all hoped that the visit can be a good time for interflow of the east and west. We had lunch with the local villager in his home and then left at 12:30 noon to the airport.
