Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Launches Reforestation Project in Indonesia

Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance Co. Ltd has been active since April 2005 in a joint reforestation project with the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry that aims to protect and restore the Paliyan Wildlife Sanctuary, in Yogyakarta Special Territory on Java Island. The project officially started with a tree planting ceremony at Paliyan on December 5, 2005. This is the first case that the Indonesian Ministry of Forestry is working with a private Japanese company in a joint reforestation project in the conservation area.

In this project, about 260,000 trees, mainly indigenous species in Indonesia, will be planted in 300 hectares of deforested area by March 2011. In the first phase, about 100,000 trees were planted in about 100 hectares of land by February 2006.

With technical support from the Sumitomo Forestry Co., Ltd., this project is using the agroforestry method, which involves planting native trees, useful trees, fruit trees, corn, paddy and cassava considering the benefits for the local people. It is estimated that, when the project is complete, the Paliyan Wildlife Sanctuary will absorb about 70,000 tons of carbon dioxide over a 20 year period, which could contribute to curbing global warming.

The Minister of Forestry of Indonesia, the state governor, representatives from four local villages and more than 1,000 local peoples took part in the tree planting ceremony. Before the ceremony, the Indonesia-based affiliate of Mitsui Sumitomo Insurance donated textbooks, stationery and sporting goods to five neighboring elementary schools, in order to help improve the local educational environment and foster continuous support for reforestation activities from a long-term perspective.

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Posted: 2006/04/13 09:57:07 AM
Japanese version