Submitted: The Two Sides Team May 24, 2013
May 22 is the United Nations International Day for Biological Diversity. The day has traditionally been UPMs Plant-a-Tree Day when tree planting events with different stakeholders have been organized
The International Day for Biological Diversity is also visible in Helsinki in the Esplanadi park: in the morning at 7:30 10:00 and in the afternoon from 15:00 onwards forestry students will distribute spruce seedlings grown in UPMs Joroinen nursery to passers-by.
The tree seedlings remind people of the International Day of Biological Diversity as well as of the long time span of sustainable forestry and the importance of forest regeneration as a central part of responsible forest management, says Timo Lehesvirta, Director, UPM Environment.
Forests are one of the Earths most valuable natural resources. They provide shelter and food for people and to many other species. They also play a key role in biological diversity and climate. A single tree growing in the forest can sequestrate as much as 1000 kilogrammes of atmospheric carbon, combats climate change and produces thousands of kilogrammes of fresh oxygen throughout its lifetime. Millions of jobs around the world also depend on trees.
Trees are also a valuable renewable raw material for different end products. Products made of wood are recyclable and biodegradable and finally they can be used as a source for bioenergy.
Taking care of regeneration of forests is the basis for our operations, says Timo Lehesvirta, Director, Environmental Affairs. Our forest experts in different countries plant about 50 million new trees every year.
Since the United Nation International Day of Forests on 21 March UPMers have organised several Plant-a-Tree Day events in different countries e.g. in China in Changshu and Beijing, Estonia, Germany, Great Britain, Russia, Spain, Uruguay and the USA in Madison and Grand Rapids. In Finland a group of children from a pre-school in Soukka planted tree seedlings donated by UPM in an ENO Environment Onlines event and 115 fourth degree schoolchildren from Simonkallio were taken by UPMers on a forest visit in Karkkila. The tree planting season continues and e.g. in Joroinen in Finland the schoolchildren from local school will plant tree seedlings to create a Hundred Acre Wood in the neighbourhood. On 29 May UPM organises together with ENO Environment Online a Plant-a-Tree Day in Joensuu.