3月12日是孫中山先生逝世紀念日。中山先生生前十分重視林業建設。他任臨時大總統的中華民國南京政府成立不久，就在1912年5月設立了農林部，下設山林司，主管全國林業行政事務。1914年11月頒佈了我國近代史上第一部《森林法》，1915年7月，政府又規定將每年“清明”定為植樹節。
March 12 is the anniversary of Dr. Sun Yat-sen's death. Dr. Sun Yat-sen had attached great importance to forestry. He served as provisional president of the Republic of China soon after the establishment of the Nanjing Government, in May 1912 established the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, under the forest Division, director of national forestry administration of. In November 1914 enacted the first of China's modern history, a "Forest Law", in July 1915, the Government has stipulated that the annual "Qingming" as Tree-Planting Day.