22.03.2004 - Already more than 5000 people to register for tree planting campaign 29.09

Within a week more than 5000 volunteers have registered for the national tree planting campaign. Today planting places are fully booked in counties like Harjumaa, Läänemaa, Raplamaa, Võrumaa, Tartumaa and Jõgevamaa.

According to Ulvar Kaubi, Marketing Manager of the State Forest Management Centre (RMK), there is great interest in participating in the tree planting campaign. “Planting sites around the larger towns were booked much faster than we had expected,” said Kaubi. “We have therefore decided to postpone a bit the beginning of the event in smaller places in order to give time for arrival for those from farther places.”

People can register for volunteer tree planting event until 15 April or until there are vacancies. Registration can be done through RMK’s homepage at http://www.rmk.ee/en. During the tree planting campaign from 1 to 16 May 10 000 participants of this year’s song and dance celebration with the help of 10 000 volunteers will plant million trees all over Estonian forests. Altogether 626 hectares of planting areas have been chosen from private and state forests for the tree planting. Four years old spruce and one or two year old pines and birches will be planted mostly.

Estonia is rich in forests: almost half of the territory is covered with forests. With the tree planting campaign the forest owners together with participants of song and dance celebration wish to contribute to the preservation of Estonian natural environment. The tree planting event carries also the message that this year’s song and dance celebration’s theme is “Let there be one forest”. The joint tree planting campaign celebrates also Estonia’s accession to the European Union on 1 May. “One who has planted a tree with his own hands will also keep the forests and the environment in the future,” Ulvar Kaubi explained the purpose the campaign.

Additional information:

Ulvar Kaubi,
RMK, Marketing Manager for Forest Management
Tel: +372 628 1521, +372 513 7042
e-mail: ulvar.kaubirmk.ee
www.rmk.ee/en

Ilmar Moss
Estonian Song and Dance Celebration Foundation
Tel: +372 502 3032
e-mail: ilmar.moss@kul.ee
www.laulupidu.ee