A Chinese proverb teaches us that “The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now”.
This calls for immediate action, especially since forest coverage is globally on the decline, and data shows that we deforest around ten million hectares of forest every year. However, at HTEC, we believe this battle is not lost and that no contribution is too small. Especially when that contribution counts 4 cities, over 100 colleagues engaged, and almost 500 trees planted in 2022!
Besides the reforestation impact, by carefully choosing appropriate locations and tree species, we managed to make a significant contribution to solving some additional challenges in each city where we organized tree-planting initiatives.
By opting for Pančić spruce in Belgrade, we made our humble contribution to saving this unique species that is currently under increasing threat due to habitat loss caused by climate changes. In Novi Sad, we picked a suburban neighborhood located near the city landfill, where fires are relatively frequent, and the neighborhood is often faced with the problem of the wind bringing smoke directly to the houses and a children’s playground. We believe that the natural shield made of oak, hawthorn, ash, wild cherry, wild apple, and wild pear will help alleviate this problem. In Niš, we chose a parcel of bare land between an apartment block and a heavy-traffic boulevard to reduce the effects of air pollution on the apartment block and the nearby health station. And having the residents enjoy the beauty of purple-leaf plum trees from their balconies is a huge plus! Finally, in Subotica, our team helped plant over 200 trees along a regional road, covering a mile-long stretch of land and providing an efficient windbreak along the road.
Our team truly enjoyed the hard work, each other’s company, and learning about planting and its benefits from local green organizations that were our partners in these initiatives. These events left us with a great sense of pride, achievement, and radiant smiles on our faces. Some colleagues brought their children along, setting a great example, and passing on this valuable commitment to creating a healthier and more beautiful environment for our community. Here are some of their impressions:
I found this tree-planting initiative important in many different aspects. We had a chance to directly contribute to our local community, which is very important, bearing in mind the increasingly challenging environmental issues we have been facing. In addition, my daughter and I spent some quality time together, taking part in an initiative focused on improving the quality of life of the generations that are yet to come.
– Branislav Rus
Tech Lead and Senior Embedded Software Engineer at HTEC Group
Although most of us did not know what planting trees implied and how easy or difficult it would be, we were quite sure that it would be a very fulfilling experience. I really appreciate the time I got to spend with my colleagues outside of the office on this glorious sunny morning. A few hours after we finished planting, I passed the site with my kids to show them what we did, and I felt very proud that we not only made this neighborhood prettier but that we left something behind for newer generations to enjoy.
– Jelena Danilović
Discourse Lead at HTEC Group
Well done, everyone!
