16.04.2004 - Almost 8100 people have registered for tree planting campaign 29.09

Yesterday, the Estonian State Forest Management Centre (RMK) closed the registration of volunteers for tree planting campaign starting on 1st of May. During registration period of one month almost 8100 volunteers and 12,000 participants of Song and Dance Celebration have signed themselves up for a tree planting campaign. From 1 to 16 May one million trees will be planted all over Estonia.

According to Ulvar Kaubi, Marketing Manager for Forest Management of RMK, the organizing team is really happy about the warm welcome of the campaign. “The fact that thousands of people registered already during the first week indicates great support to the tree planting event,” he said. “Today we can be sure that this campaign will become a longed-for nation-wide event. The kickoff of the tree planting will be given from Vardi forest district on 1 May, followed by an outing at Varbola castle,” said Kaubi.

All the preparations for the tree planting have been running as planned according to Kaubi. 4 year-old spruces will be planted mostly, but also pines and birches. “Currently the planting sites are being prepared,” he said.

Everyone who has registered for the tree planting should come to the planting site in appropriate clothing and in damp-proof footwear. All information regarding the tree planting campaign, including practical information about the meeting points, can be found on RMK’s home page www.rmk.ee/en.

“If anyone cannot participate for some reason, we would be really grateful if we were informed about this, so that we could find new people for vacancies,” said Kaubi. “We will definitely plant all the trees planned – the workers of RMK will take care of it.”

During the tree planting campaign from 1 to 16 May participants of this year’s Song and Dance Celebration together with volunteering people will plant one million trees all over Estonian forests. The tree planting event emphasizes the importance of forests to Estonians, at the same time it carries the message that this year’s Song and Dance Celebration’s theme is “Let there be one forest”. The joint undertaking also celebrates Estonia’s accession to the EU.

Estonia is rich in forest: almost half of the territory is covered with forests. Last year, Estonia’s 135 year-old Song and Dance Celebration was added to UNESCO’s list of Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. With the tree planting the forest owners together with participants of the Song and Dance Celebration wish to contribute to the preservation of the natural environment of Estonia.

ulvar.kaubirmk.ee