Today is the International Day of Forests – an occasion which highlights the critical role forests play in sustaining life on our planet.
As the world’s largest continent (accounting for around 30% of the earth’s landmass), Asia is home to a range of different forest types. These ecosystems support human and animal life alike, providing habitats and essential medicinal resources, while also playing an essential role in connecting people with the planet in their work, recreation and day-to-day lives. On this important day, Brunel is pleased to share our sustainability and reforestation efforts championed through the Brunel Foundation.
Why Asian forests matter
Asian forests, known for their rich biodiversity, are regulators of climate and guardians of water sources, and offer employment opportunities to millions of people. Home to over half of the world's land species, they range from the lush rainforests of Southeast Asia to the temperate forests of Japan and Korea. However, deforestation and urban expansion pose great dangers to these ecosystems, which calls for us to prioritise conservation and the adoption of sustainable practices to safeguard Asia's forests for future generations.
Brunel Foundation's partnership with EcoMatcher
In 2021, the Brunel Foundation joined forces with EcoMatcher to plant 1,000 trees in Thailand. In just a year, this partnership flourished and eventually led to the planting of 19,000 trees across the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Bhutan, Ecuador, Kenya and the United Arab Emirates. This accomplishment demonstrates that it is possible to make a real impact on environmental issues where passion and collaboration meet – and is a point of great pride for both Brunel and EcoMatcher.
Planting for progress
In 2023, Brunel and EcoMatcher passed a significant sustainability milestone, successfully planting one tree for each of the 12,000 specialists employed through Brunel. The planting of these forests also helped to create jobs for locals in each of these countries. Thanks to EcoMatcher’s live tracker, we observed that nearly 30% of the total number of Brunel Forest trees planted worldwide are in Asia.
This International Day of Forests, we invite everyone to reflect on their role in caring for our shared environments and to think big when it comes to how we can work together to preserve and restore our planet's forests. Through initiatives like Brunel Foundation's partnership with EcoMatcher, we can make strides towards a more sustainable and resilient future, not just for Asia, but for the entire world.
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