An Absolute Start for Plant for the Planet’s 1000 Trees planting by UAE Students

AL WARSAN, UAE - Feb. 28, 2015 - PRLog -- Dubai, UAE, 28^th February 2015: Middle East’s prime hotel operator Accor and UAE based environmental portal Goumbook have partnered for a long term reforestation plan that is launched and that will see the first 1.000 trees planted over the next 12 months across the UAE, in specific sites chosen by Dubai Municipality. As part of the ‘Plant for the Planet Campaign’, trees will be planted to support Goumbook’s initiative, the Give a Ghaf Tree Planting Program. Simran Vedvyas founder of SynergY, has been appointed as Youth Ambassador of the campaign, and will bring together over a hundred youth and children in UAE to volunteer and join in planting the trees during 2015.

The first planting of the ‘Plant for the Planet’ campaign took place on Saturday 28^th February 2015 at Warsan Landfill with the active support of Dubai Municipality: the first 100 Ghaf trees planted in the landfill will aid vegetation and conservation within the fragmented landscape to maintain and improve the broader ecosystem across the area.  Eng. Abdul Majeed Saifaie, Director of Waste Management Department, Dubai Municipality, congratulated the team for coming together to plant the native trees to the land in United Arab Emirates. Eng. Sadin Al Falasi, Head of Treatment Systems Unit and Eng. Mukesh Sajwan, Principal officer, Waste Treatment participated in the Tree plantation work at the landfill.

Dubai Municipality is regarded as one of the largest governmental institutions in terms of services rendered and projects executed, and are consequently the leading driver of growth and evolution of the Emirate of Dubai. The Municipality works tirelessly to keep the city green and focuses a great deal of attention and effort to educate the community, to ensure pollution-free, livable and safe environments.

16 years old Simran Vedvyas, founder of the student-led youth organization SynergY, has taken up the assignment as Youth Ambassador of the campaign to represent all young volunteers in the UAE who will join the planting events. Simran’s mission is to create networks for children and youth to talk about the environment, and gain a clear understanding of environmental issues today. She is particularly interested in the issue of landfills.  Through her group SynergY, she provides leadership to hundreds of students from the UAE who work passionately to set an example for others and raise awareness. The group has planted more than one thousand trees to green the landfill areas and to raise awareness about the need to reduce landfills hence improve waste management practices.

Accor VP for Sustainable Development, Arnaud Herrmann, said that through the group’s sustainable development program, PLANET21, Accor is deepening its focus on preserving the ecosystems in which its hotels operate. ‘Plant for the Planet’ is a global reforestation initiative within Planet 21, developed in partnership with Pur Projet, an organization committed to developing community based agro-forestry projects around the world.

“We have taken our commitment to hotel sustainability in the region to another level through our partnership with Goumbook. Giving something back to restore and maintaining our precious natural habitats situated near our hotel communities is crucial, particularly as we expand our network. PLANET21 reforestation program relies on a common guest and employee’s commitment and through our partnership with Goumbook and the Give a Ghaf Tree Planting Program, we are putting large scale landscape restoration, people and wildlife thriving together as a top priority for our organization as we strive to leave our planet in good health for generations of hoteliers and guests to come”, Mr. Herrmann added.

In addition to supporting homegrown projects, globally Accor has made a commitment to the United Nations Environment Program’s Plant for the Planet Billion Tree campaign. Around four million trees have been planted by Accor hotels to date thanks to the Accor Plant for the Planet program, a unique and innovative initiative. With the help of Pur Projet, Accor is now funding trees in 21 countries, close to their hotels for a more local and effective impact.

The Give a Ghaf Tree Planting Program was launched by Goumbook in 2010 to raise awareness on the UAE national tree and the incredible biodiversity present in the desert. Since then over 26,000 seeds have been planted by local companies and individuals who have found a connection with the local environment and an opportunity to learn more about the UAE.

Tatiana Antonelli Abella, Managing Director of Goumbook and founder of the Give a Ghaf Tree Planting Program, congratulated Accor for establishing the Plant for the Planet program in the UAE and abroad. “The contribution to the local environment is great and will make a huge difference, in addition the information provided to residents and hotel guests around the UAE about the program will help motivate them to become involved. Our research and experience has shown that just about everyone wants to help, but getting involved is the difficult bit. This partnership with Accor will amplify the efforts of hundreds of people to preserve the UAE national tree, making a huge difference. We are investing in the next generations’ future and therefore asking all youngsters in the UAE to participate and join the campaign” she said.

About the Youth Ambassador- Simran is an accomplished speaker, Simran has attended over five dozen international conferences, youth forums, and events, traveling across the globe to make presentations and mobilize youth. Her work has empowered her to connect on various global platforms including the Global Youth board of Plant-for-the-Planet, UAE’s Climate Reality Ambassador and TUNZA Eco Generation as Regional Ambassador Middle East. Recently awarded with the prestigious Diana International Award UK, recognized as Diana Active Campaigner for her contribution to the environment and society.

“Parents carpooled, students excited to come even though some have ongoing exams the following day, this is the commitment that I am a witness to and am so proud to share” says Simran, who is also a UN millennium campaign global youth advocate, and has decided to join the ‘Plant for the Planet’ campaign by Accor Hotels and Goumbook to support the cause of the Ghaf tree: “The Ghaf, also known as the ‘tree of the dunes’ and a solution to desertification, is facing extinction due to rapid urbanization and SynergY is trying to reverse this process by conservation and planting”.

   The ‘Plant for the Planet’ campaign strives to improve the standard of living and facilitate participation for residents to become an active part of the city’s green vision, and to help effectively manage its continued growth.