March 12 is the anniversary of Dr. Sun Yat-sen's death. Dr. Sun Yat-sen had attached great importance to forestry¹. He served as provisional president of the Republic of China soon after the establishment of the Nanjing Government, in May 1912 established the Ministry² of Agriculture and Forestry, under the forest Division, director of national forestry administration of. In November 1914 enacted³ the first of China's modern history, a "Forest Law", in July 1915, the Government has stipulated⁴ that the annual "Qingming" as Tree-Planting Day.

3月12日是孙中山先生逝世纪念日。中山先生生前十分重视林业建设。他任临时大总统的中华民国南京政府成立不久，就在1912年5月设立了农林部，下设山林司，主管全国林业行政事务。1914年11月颁布了我国近代史上第一部《森林法》，1915年7月，政府又规定将每年“清明”定为植树节。