Climate change is affecting one of the key elements of our ecosystem: forests. In Catalonia alone, a ‘historic record’ of forests affected by drought was registered in 2023, with a total of 66,500 hectares of forests losing leaves, drying up, or dying due to the lack of water resources.
APPLE TREE is committed to respecting the environment, and working towards a more sustainable world is a key part of our corporate strategy. That is why we have set our sights on forests and have partnered with Bosques Sostenibles, with whom we actively collaborate in reforestation programs. This year, we will reach our goal of planting 5,000 trees in areas affected by fires in the Montgrí and Viu De Llevata mountain ranges in Catalonia, as well as in Mijares, Navalacruz, and Gredos mountain ranges in Ávila. In addition, we have managed to offset our emissions by more than 929.94 t of CO2, thanks to the 4.66 hectares of reforested area.
Forests are fundamental for combating climate change, contributing significantly to the well-being of present and future generations. They play a fundamental role in eradicating poverty and helping to achieve many of the targets set out in the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To highlight their fundamental role, the United Nations General Assembly proclaimed March 21st as International Forest Day in 2012.
But forests not just serve an environmental purpose; they are also vital to the economy and human well-being. Nearly 900 million people, mostly in developing countries, are involved in the production of fuelwood and charcoal. Some 2.4 billion people worldwide – one in three – use wood to cook their food.