2010

Over 2 Million Tree Seeds already Sown within the Campaign Oxygen

Within the national campaign “Oxygen” focussing on sowing and planting trees in the whole country, about 35 000 school children from 700 schools of Latvia, several thousand private persons as well as many representatives from companies and organizations have sown already over 2 million pine and spruce trees. Due to high interest and enthusiasm of people, additional 8000 seed sets of pine and spruce have been delivered to postal offices all over Latvia which will be available to the interested parties starting from Today, June 9. 

Up to now, the highest number of trees – 722,791 – have been sown in Latgale, followed by 602,332 pine and spruce sown in Kurzeme, while in Zemgale and Vidzeme an equal number of tree seeds have been sown – a little more than 420 thousand in each.

The Project has involved not only the 5^th and 6^th –graders from schools but also representatives of different companies and organizations: musicians of orchestra Sinfonietta Riga , actors from company  Teātra Observatorija , Liepāja and Valmiera drama theatres, employees of State Blood Donor Centre, Internet portal Draugiem.lv, companies Latvijas Finieris and RIMI as well as several thousands of private persons. Striving to turn Latvia into the greenest country on Earth, they have sown the seeds of pine and spruce. 

Ainārs Ozols, President, SEB Bank: "In SEB Bank, this Project has become a major issue. Side by side with discussions on banking themes, development and solutions, one often hears about the sprouting of the tree seeds. Colleagues   share impressions on how well the seeds sown on May 21 have produced seedlings. Looks like the simplest task is completed for we have obtained a lot of green seedlings. Now we have to look after them properly so that in a year's time we have young potted plants recognizable as conifers."

 

“Oxygen”, the national campaign for sowing and planting of trees, was started by AS “Latvijas valsts meži” and “SEB Bank” aiming at turning Latvia in one of the greenest countries on Earth. To achieve this goal, every inhabitant has to sow a tree, altogether obtaining 2 231, 503 young trees. The campaign will be run until June of 2011, when the sprouted seedlings will be sufficiently mature for planting out in the forest to grow independently. For more information, please, visit the project website www.skabeklis.lv.