Last Saturday, we gave it our all during our tree planting day.

Together with a group of 80 people, consisting of colleagues and their families, local residents and members of the Bosgroep or ‘Forest Group’, we managed to put 450 trees in the ground.

It was a dry day, with temperatures lingering around freezing. Yet the cold did not deter participants from spending an entire afternoon digging holes, planting trees, packing the soil, etc. Afterwards, participants warmed up again with delicious hot chocolate and a Brussels or Liège waffle.

The plot that was planted is next to the A. Stocletlaan, which is a major traffic axis near the centre of Duffel. Kathleen Snijders, our Sustainability Manager, had this to say about the project: “More variety in trees will attract more birds and insects over time. The extra greenery will also create a NATURAL welcome for everyone entering Duffel via the A. Stocletlaan. This can only be positive”.

This project was set up in cooperation with Bosgroep. With financial support from the province, Bosgroep supports and advises forest owners on how to manage their forests sustainably. Forest owners can join Bosgroep free of charge and receive administrative assistance and help with forest work. Bosgroep is the point of contact for private owners and local governments looking to plant new forests or expand existing ones. More information (in Dutch) can be found on www.bosgroep.be.