The big global Viessmann family passed the one million tree mark this Wednesday with its ViMove for Climate reforestation campaign. Participants in the #baumstark! initiative, Viessmann employees and their families, specialist installer partners, and many other sporty climate activists have given their all in nearly 30 different sports disciplines since October 31 to achieve this goal as quickly as possible.
Just 25 days after the start of the fall round of the campaign, they’re making it happen: Year after year, one million trees will contribute to the removal of CO₂ from the air as they grow, thereby helping to protect the climate.
Fighting climate change
Jonas Stock, who is responsible for ViMove for Climate at Viessmann, sums up: “Eighteen months ago, no one could have anticipated that ViMove for Climate would be so successful, or that we could motivate Viessmann family members all over the world to join us by participating in sports to protect the environment.”
Eighteen months ago, no one could have anticipated that ViMove for Climate would be so successful"
According to scientists, tree planting and sustainable management of forests and marshlands are the most meaningful methods of removing CO₂ from the atmosphere in the long term. This can make an active and long-term contribution to fighting climate change. In order to take even more responsibility for future generations, in July Viessmann purchased an area of forests and marshlands in Finland that is approximately equivalent in size to 3500 soccer fields.
Adapted to local conditions
“We are not only supporting reforestation but also ensuring that the mix of tree species is optimally adapted to local conditions, and that it can perform its services to the environment for a long time. For this reason, we wanted to plant the seedlings in our own forest in this round of ViMove for Climate.” This was Jonas Stock’s explanation for the new aspect of the ViMove for Climate fall round.
Good to know: Experts estimate that trees absorb around a ton of CO₂ from the atmosphere per cubic meter of wood as they grow. For the Finnish forest that is newly in the possession of Viessmann, this means that 5200 tons of CO₂ will be removed from the atmosphere every year, including in the marshland.
Safeguarding ecosystem performance
The clear goal is to leave the marshland untouched and to sustainably manage the forest
The clear goal is to leave the marshland untouched and to sustainably manage the forest in order to safeguard its ecosystem performance over the coming decades. Forests aren’t just oxygen producers and CO₂ storage units – they’re also a rich habitat for a vast number of plants and animals. And they are also a place where people, especially children, can go to unwind.
“In order to guarantee regrowth, we want to plant this round of trees that were donated through ViMove for Climate in our own Finnish forest. As a result of regular forest management, wind damage, and other factors, many trees had to be removed. Thus, the fall campaign of ViMove for Climate supports the reconstruction of the forest area,” Jonas Stock concludes. “We are taking responsibility into our own hands and ensuring that the ecosystem and biodiversity remain intact. All this once again pays into our Viessmann mission: We create living spaces for generations to come.”
Water supply managers
Much has happened since the beginning of ViMove for Climate in June 2020. Over multiple rounds of the campaign, members of the global Viessmann family – and their own families – have outdone themselves athletically many times over.
Starting with running and cycling, around 30 sports can now be tracked in the web app that was specially designed for ViMove for Climate. Much has been accomplished, not only technically but also with regard to the selected reforestation projects. From Cambodia to China to the German Sauerland and our own forest in northern Finland, Viessmann seedlings have been planted all over the world. Over time, these trees will make a valuable contribution to the conservation and recovery of the ecosystems around them – for instance, as soil protectors, water supply managers, biodiversity preservers, and, of course, as carbon collectors.