PHOTOS: Record number of trees planted in Dalmatia in reforesting action this weekend  

27 October 2019 – This weekend, a record number of volunteers planted a record number of trees in the third action of the year in the Boranka campaign, which aims to reforest areas in Dalmatia damaged by fires.

Over 1200 volunteers from various parts of Croatia gathered in Gornje Sitno  under Mosor mountain in the Split region, which was devastated by fires in 2017, to plant trees.

Along with the help of Croatian Forestry who educated volunteers and helped with planting, volunteers planted around 12,000 new trees over the weekend. Only native and deciduous species were planted. The older volunteers planted grown seedlings of cypress, coastal and black pine, and the younger volunteers planted cypress and black pine seeds and acorns which will grow into oak tress. 

A record number of volunteers planted a record number of trees

More than 300 scouts from Split, Omiš, Trogir, Dugi Rat, Velika Gorica, Samobor, Koprivnica, Stupnik, Okić, Križevci and Bjelovar participated in the action as well as members of the Croatian Navy, students from Split’s elementary schools Brdo and Blatina-Skrap, the Archdiocesan Classical High School, the Faculty of Kinesiology, Erasmus International Exchange Program, Judo Clubs “Val” and “Student”, Vuk Samotnjak motorcycle club and numerous other volunteers from Split and the surrounding area.

Preporod Union part of the big action on the weekend

Around 30 employees of Raiffeisen Bank, the main sponsor of the Boranka campaign and volunteers from Atos participated in the action. Employees from the agency Imago Ogilvy, who designed the Boranka campaign which has already won numerous national and world awards, also helped out.

Members of the Croatian Navy

The Boranka campaign has been formally supported by the Embassy of Canada from the beginning, and the Canadian Ambassador, HE Mr Alan Bowman joined the action on Saturday with his family. Ambassador Bowman also brought with him representatives of the Canadian company Viking Air, the makers of the world-famous Canadair firefighters, to the afforestation action. Viking air was represented by company executives, Mr. Ben Carson and Mr. Mark Dodd.

“The issue of environmental protection and conservation of forests and nature is one of Canada’s top priorities. We are extremely pleased to be able to participate in and support such a laudable action in Croatia. We are also pleased that Canadian technology, in the form of Canadair type firefighting aircraft, helps to protect against fires,” said Ambassador Bowman.

Ambassador Bowman

This year’s special partner in the Boranka Campaign is the Preporod Union, and more than 300 teachers and union trustees from across Croatia joined the action on Saturday, diligently planting new trees on the slopes of Mosor. This year, the Preporod Union celebrates its 25th anniversary and they made it possible to plant 9,000 trees for its 9,000 members.

The Scout Choir were in charge of organising and welcoming all volunteers this weekend.

“A nicer and healthier environment is our common legacy for future generations. The Scouts of Split will continue to be available to their community, and to all who have participated in this great undertaking so far, thank you even more. We embrace nature with more and more “small” hands,” says Edi Perić, president of the Split Scout Choir.

Scouts in action

The action this weekend was organised by Scouts Croatia, the Scout Choir of Split, Croatian Forestry Society, Croatian Mountain Rescue Service, Civil Protection Directorate and the City of Split. The Boranka action will continue on 9-10 November in Kožino near Zadar on the Dalmatian coast.