IE University and (R)Forest Project plant 80 holm oaks in Madrid’s Ventilla Park in collaboration with City Hall

IE University and the (R)Forest Project today announced the planting of 80 oaks in Madrid’s Ventilla Park as part of an agreement with the non-profit association and Madrid’s Department of Environment and Mobility. The event was attended by the Mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida; Francisco de Borja Carabante of the City Hall’s Environment and Mobility Department; Isabela del Alcázar, Global Head of Sustainability at IE University and Fernando Ojeda, President of (R)FOREST PROJECT. The Ventilla Park is located near IE Tower, IE University's new vertical, technological and sustainable headquarters in north Madrid, which opens in September and promotes education as a key to sustainable development.

A group of 30 IE University student volunteers planted 80 holm oaks this morning in the Ventilla Park, in an area that will be called the IE Forest. This is the first reforestation initiative promoted by (R)Forest Project in the capital.

The planting of 80 holm oaks is the first phase of a reforestation project of some 625 trees, which will be planted gradually, one for each IE University student who graduated in December.

This collaboration between the two institutions stems from the environmental awareness project involving all IE University students, whose first initiative took place in December 2020 during the Solidarity with the Planet Week. Over the course of seven days, the 625 students graduating this year 2021 participatedin the planting of the first new forest in Spain.

“It is a pleasure to work with (R)Forest Project and Madrid City Hall to promote the planting of 625 holm oaks. We encourage this type of environmental activism among people in our community as an experiential learning tool that increases their awareness of their potential to bring about change. As an academic institution we have the capacity to create social welfare in our local communities. We believe that the move to the IE University Tower will have a very positive impact on the economic and social development of the northern area of Madrid. From our new headquarters we will continue to promote urban and social transformation initiatives, energizing the entrepreneurial ecosystem and developing new collaborative projects with international companies,” said Isabela del Alcázar, Global Head of Sustainability at IE University.

“(R)Forest Project is not about combatting desertification, but is instead to make us think about where we come from and where we are going in terms of environmental preservation, We have a debt with Nature around the world.”
Fernando Ojeda, President of (R)FOREST PROJECT

He added that he was aware of his ability to influence environmental awareness through social networks, expressing his commitment to the planet and decision to embark on a new path.

About (R)Forest Project

(R)Forest Project was born in February 2019 as a non-profit association for environmental preservation based on the belief that individual change is fundamental for global change.

Since its inception, (R)Forest Project has been supported by collaborators and sponsors such as Montblanc, Foro Dermopinión and Kaiku. In under two years, support has tripled thanks to other entities and companies: Birkenstock, Intimissimi, Native Organics, Santander, Kiehl's, VINCI Energies, Trapa, Maersk, the Italian Embassy in Madrid and IE University. Similarly, the volunteers of the Active Forest Rangers continues to grow and awaken greater environmental sensitivity and empathy thanks to a powerful presence in social networks.

Currently, (R)Forest Project delegations in Mexico, the United States, the Netherlands, Portugal, Peru, Germany and Australia process reforestation documents thanks to the collaboration of 17,000 members around the world.

Leaving a positive footprint on the environment

Fernando's passion for a job well done, driven by his tenacity, has led him to undertake numerous projects from an early age. The latest (R)Forest Project is already taking root, leaving a positive footprint on the environment. “For me, my time on this planet is like that of someone staying in, say, an Airbnb; so when I leave here, I want to leave with the feeling of having been a good guest,” he explains.

In its first year, the foundation has planted 2,500 trees, neutralizing approximately 12,500 tons of CO2. One year later, 10,000 trees have been planted and 50,000 tons of CO2 have been offset. For this year, (R)Forest Project's goal is to plant another 20,000 trees that will have the potential to absorb some 100,000 tons of CO2.

(R)Forest Project will also soon unveil important new projects for 2021...