Staff reporter 

Bhutan marked Social Forestry Day and commemorated the 49th coronation anniversary of His Majesty the Fourth Druk Gyalpo yesterday by planting over a thousand trees across the country. 

Her Majesty the Queen Mother Tseyring Pem Wangchuck, the President of the Youth Development Fund (YDF) joined by other members of the Royal family planted trees at an event in Samarzingkha, Thimphu. 

The event, which took place simultaneously in eight dzongkhags, witnessed more than 800 enthusiastic volunteers. It was organised as part of the YDF’s ambitious “Nurture a Tree” programme, aiming to plant a million trees across Bhutan by 2033. To date, YDF’s Young Volunteers In Action (Y-VIA) have planted over 10,000 trees. 

Her Majesty the Gyalyum Tseyring Pem Wangchuwck plants a tree

“Climate change remains a core focus area for YDF, and on this momentous day, young volunteers from eight districts will participate in the ‘Nurture a Tree’ program, planting over  1000 trees in their respective regions,” a press release from YDF stated.  

In addition, as part of YDF’s Sponsor a Monk project,  monks from various monasteries across the country will also contribute to the tree-planting initiative within their premises. YDF is proud to support over 121 tozey monks from eight different monasteries across six dzongkhags. 

YDF is collaborating with partners, including the Bhutan Trust Fund for  Environmental Conservation (BTFEC), Bhutan Ecological Society (BES), Green Bhutan  Corporation, and the Department of Forests and Park Services. This collaboration will result in the planting of 216 trees, recognising the crucial role of social forestry in preserving Bhutan’s biodiversity and fostering a greener future.