China Post issued a commemorative stamp to mark the 40th National Tree Planting Day in Beijing on March. 11, one day ahead of the country’s arbor day.

The stamp is the first one in China released to commemorate the National Tree Planting Day.

With a face value of 1.2 yuan ($0.19), the commemorative stamp bears the image of a green tree. The trunk of the tree is designed based on a pair of forearms, and the branches are embodied in palms and fingers. The stamp is designed to call for the public to plant trees and improve ecological environment.

In the center of the tree shows the figures “3.12”, the date of the National Tree Planting Day, and above the figures are leaves ornamented by cityscape, rivers and mountains, as well as birds and white clouds.

The stamp carries the best wishes of building clear water and lush mountains for a beautiful China via plantation.

It is printed with special green ink, which enables the tree in the stamp to present a different look under ultraviolet, such as the number “40” signifying the 40th National Tree Planting Day, and the Chinese characters meaning “jointly building a beautiful China by performing the duty of tree planting”.

China’s National Tree Planting Day was set on March 12 on 1979 at the sixth session of the 5th Standing Committee of the National People’s Congress. At that time, China’s forest coverage was only 12 percent. Now the figure has been lifted to 21.66 percent.

In addition, the forest stock volume of the country also grew from 8.656 billion to 15.137 billion cubic meters, with man-made forest area topping the world.

China has become a country of the world’s largest increase in forest resources, and the green increases in China contributed much to the global ecological governance and won high praise from the international community.