Green team: Secretary for Home Affairs Dr Patrick Ho helps plant trees after officiating at the ceremony.

Members of the public are invited to become Green Volunteers under the District Green Hong Kong Ambassadors Scheme to help promote green consciousness in the community.

Speaking at the scheme's launch ceremony and the Outstanding Green Volunteers Awards presentation at the Tai Po Waterfront Park amphitheatre, Secretary for Home Affairs Dr Patrick Ho said serving as Green Volunteers can lead to a more meaningful life while creating a better living environment.

In 2002, the Leisure & Cultural Services Department launched a pilot scheme to recruit Green Volunteers in Tsuen Wan, Sha Tin, Wong Tai Sin and Wan Chai Districts. It extended the scheme to all 18 districts in June this year.

Green Volunteers receive basic horticultural training in the form of lectures and practical sessions before undertaking simple greening tasks including weeding, watering, examining the growth conditions of trees in the street, giving horticultural demonstrations in district services centres, and assisting in promotional campaigns.

Each district selects its Green Hong Kong Ambassadors to serve as the bridge between district groups and the department, to facilitate communication and to lead Green Volunteers in district greening activities.

Currently there are 38 Green Ambassadors and more than 1,000 Green Volunteers. Thirty-eight Green Hong Kong Ambassadors from 18 districts received certificates of appointment and six outstanding Green Volunteers were awarded certificates of merit.