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| Selected Speeches |
| The Church of Haile Selassie I, Inc. |
| The Church of Haile Selassie I, Inc. |
| Ba Beta Kristiyan Haile Selassie I |
| Selected Speeches |
| Haile Selassie the First - July 19, 1958 |
| Forestry - Arbour Day Jul. 19, 1958 |
This is the third occasion on which We celebrate Arbour Day. As We
have stated on previous occasions, the main objective of the development
programme which We have adopted for the welfare of Our people is to
preserve and augment the wealth derived from our land, and, agriculture
being the basis of our economy, to increase the yield of Our soil through
maximum utilization.
The forest resources of Our Empire constitute one of the most important
elements of the wealth of Our land. When Our forests are properly
conserved, the protect the fertile soil of Ethiopia from erosion; the render
the landscape green and beautiful. But when forests are neglected and
gradually destroyed, the wealth of Our land is progressively reduced and
the country slowly becomes bare and barren.
Wood-cutting is an important source of income for our rural population.
But the needlessness of their tree-cutting and their thoughtless misuse of
Our timber stands demonstrate clearly that they do not understand the
great and far-reaching importance of preserving Our forests.
The uses of trees are many an varied. Groves of trees protect our fields
and plantations form being desiccated by the desert winds that blow from
neighbouring regions. During the summer months, they provide moisture
and shade. If trees are not presently planted to replace those being cut
down from time to time, Our constant efforts to conserve and develop the
wealth of Our country for the welfare of present and future generations
will be rendered ineffective and futile. We are greatly grieved to observe
the many thousands of gashas of rich forest land being destroyed every
year by reckless timber-cutting, thoughtless forest buring, unregulated
forest grazing, and other misuses of Our forest wealth, due to popular
ignorance and desire for temporary advantage on the part of Our people.
have stated on previous occasions, the main objective of the development
programme which We have adopted for the welfare of Our people is to
preserve and augment the wealth derived from our land, and, agriculture
being the basis of our economy, to increase the yield of Our soil through
maximum utilization.
The forest resources of Our Empire constitute one of the most important
elements of the wealth of Our land. When Our forests are properly
conserved, the protect the fertile soil of Ethiopia from erosion; the render
the landscape green and beautiful. But when forests are neglected and
gradually destroyed, the wealth of Our land is progressively reduced and
the country slowly becomes bare and barren.
Wood-cutting is an important source of income for our rural population.
But the needlessness of their tree-cutting and their thoughtless misuse of
Our timber stands demonstrate clearly that they do not understand the
great and far-reaching importance of preserving Our forests.
The uses of trees are many an varied. Groves of trees protect our fields
and plantations form being desiccated by the desert winds that blow from
neighbouring regions. During the summer months, they provide moisture
and shade. If trees are not presently planted to replace those being cut
down from time to time, Our constant efforts to conserve and develop the
wealth of Our country for the welfare of present and future generations
will be rendered ineffective and futile. We are greatly grieved to observe
the many thousands of gashas of rich forest land being destroyed every
year by reckless timber-cutting, thoughtless forest buring, unregulated
forest grazing, and other misuses of Our forest wealth, due to popular
ignorance and desire for temporary advantage on the part of Our people.
| Afforestation |
It is a matter of great concern for Us that the forest wealth which God in
His mercy has bestowed upon Our country is thus being continually
reduced and wasted. Hence it becomes the duty and obligation of every
single Ethiopian to become aware of the tremendous industrial and
agricultural advantages to be derived from Our forest resources, and to
practise tree-planting, in order that Our hills and planes which have been
stripped of their wooded cover may once again be clothed in their green
mantle.
The existence or non-existence of forest wealth in a country is one of the
most important factors influencing its development and progress. The
increasing pace of deforestration and the growing dearth of timber in
Ethiopia, caused by unregulated tree-cutting and the failure to replace these
by new plantings, give Us occasions for anxiety that a severe economic
problem will confront the coming generation. It is essential that steps be
taken here and now to stop this wastage and to check this destruction.
In these days when all nations of the world, in recognition of the
tremendous importance of forest wealth, have launched intensive
programmes for forest conservation and re-forestation, it behoves Our
country also to take the appropriate measures to solve this problem.
It is Our wish and Our desire that each and every citizen of Our country
follow the example We set on this Arbour Day in planting this tree, and
himself plant as many trees as he can, for his own benefit as well as the
benefit of future generations.
His mercy has bestowed upon Our country is thus being continually
reduced and wasted. Hence it becomes the duty and obligation of every
single Ethiopian to become aware of the tremendous industrial and
agricultural advantages to be derived from Our forest resources, and to
practise tree-planting, in order that Our hills and planes which have been
stripped of their wooded cover may once again be clothed in their green
mantle.
The existence or non-existence of forest wealth in a country is one of the
most important factors influencing its development and progress. The
increasing pace of deforestration and the growing dearth of timber in
Ethiopia, caused by unregulated tree-cutting and the failure to replace these
by new plantings, give Us occasions for anxiety that a severe economic
problem will confront the coming generation. It is essential that steps be
taken here and now to stop this wastage and to check this destruction.
In these days when all nations of the world, in recognition of the
tremendous importance of forest wealth, have launched intensive
programmes for forest conservation and re-forestation, it behoves Our
country also to take the appropriate measures to solve this problem.
It is Our wish and Our desire that each and every citizen of Our country
follow the example We set on this Arbour Day in planting this tree, and
himself plant as many trees as he can, for his own benefit as well as the
benefit of future generations.
| Chapter VIII |
| Agriculture |