Eleven Locations to Plant the Future This Spring: A New Miniseries Will Offer Guidance
Another eleven community projects will be added to the planting map this spring as part of the Planting the Futureprogram’s grant round. Volunteers from across Slovakia will again plant trees where they naturally belong, ensuring they fulfill their indispensable roles for the environment and people. This year, a new five-part miniseries featuring Ľudo Vašš and Robo Podoba will guide enthusiasts step-by-step on how to properly plant a tree.
The spring grant round received 36 project applications by the January 15 deadline. In early February, an expert panel selected eleven projects for direct support, while another five were placed on a waiting list for additional funding. “Once again, we were fortunate to receive high-quality projects that clearly demonstrate communities’ interest in planting new trees in areas where they are most needed. Volunteers from villages, towns, non-profits, and informal groups across Slovakia will be involved in the planting,” said Martina Hromadová, Program Manager of Planting the Future. A total of 27,800 euros will be distributed for the spring projects. All supported projects are summarized in a table available at this link.
Tree Planting Miniseries to Help Communities
The Planting the Future program has supported planting initiatives since autumn 2021. To date, more than 50 locations have been supported, resulting in over 4,000 trees being planted. “Our goal with Planting the Future is not only to support local communities, connect them, and find resources for them but also to provide continuous education. People often approach us for expert guidance or advice on proper planting techniques. It is crucial to make information about planting trees sustainably and effectively accessible to everyone. That’s why we came up with the idea to create a short series summarizing the essential steps in a concise but professional manner. With the help of arborists Ľudo Vašš and Robo Podoba from Ovocný strom, we created a five-part miniseries on planting fruit trees,” explained Hromadová. The miniseries Planting the Future – Planting Fruit Trees in the Landscape is now freely available online on social media or directly at www.sadimebuducnost.sk.
The Planting the Future initiative, organized by the Ekopolis Foundation, is made possible thanks to its general partner GLS General Logistics Systems Slovakia s.r.o., as well as financial partners Slovenská sporiteľňa Foundation, Kaufland, and CMS. These organizations support meaningful activities of local associations and municipalities committed to the future and environmental quality. Another key partner of the Planting the Future initiative is Slovnaft a.s., which not only supports the program but also contributes through its Green Oasis grant program. In 2024, this will result in an additional 24 projects and hundreds of newly planted trees.