Thousands of trees will be planted in the Northwest Economic Zone in the coming period. On February 6, 2024, a press conference was held on the spot about the afforestation.
A very significant economic development process started in Debrecen in the recent period. Debrecen is one of the most successful cities in Hungary, and BMW is a huge success story not only for the country but also for Debrecen. We believe that the economy can be developed sustainably, by paying maximum attention to our environment. This is precisely why we launched a new environmental policy in 2019 – said Mayor László Papp.
The city manager emphasized that the Northwest Economic Zone must fit into the fabric of the city, therefore the environment surrounding the industrial area will be planted and greened. – Following this promise, we started the afforestation process a few weeks ago, which will create a green corridor in the surroundings of the Northwestern Economic Zone. As part of the program, we will plant 3,000 trees and more than 50,000 shrubs in this zone, which includes Józsa, Kismacs and Nagymacs, he explained. He noted that in the first phase, 788 trees (linden, elm, ash, oak) and 5,000 shrubs will be planted around the factory, and the rest will be planted in the next two years.
Deputy mayor Ákos Balázs added that the city’s Green Code was adopted two weeks ago, which was prepared together with the staff of the University of Debrecen and members of the Green Working Group, and which is currently Hungary’s most significant urban greening program. With previous and current tree planting, as well as Let’s plant 10,000 trees in Debrecen! program, compared to the promised 10,000 trees, we can say that we planted nearly three times as many, 28,000 trees in these programs. The deputy mayor emphasized that another 10,000 trees, including fruit trees, will be planted in the future, and green corridors will be created. – The 28,000 trees that will be planted in these two programs bind about 5,000 tons of CO2 and 1,200 tons of dust annually, provide 90 hectares of shade and improve the feeling of heat by 6-8 degrees in the summer heat – Balázs explained the data Ákos. More than 50,000 votes have already been received for the measures of the Green Code, of which more than 8,700 were for an afforestation or tree protection program.
Local government representative Erzsébet Katona said that the population is always happy to join in tree planting. As she said, it is important for the locals that the environment is not only livable but also extremely beautiful.
Hans Peter Kemser, director of BMW Group Gyár Debrecen, emphasized that environmental protection is very important to them, so far they have planted 350 trees, which will be followed by more as spring approaches. He added that they are not only doing something for the environment by planting trees but they are developing a solar park on an area of 44 hectares. As he said: nature and production can go together.
(debrecen.hu)
