The Djarum Foundation'€™s program of planting eco-friendly trembesi trees (raintrees) along 1,350 kilometers of road from Merak to Banyuwangi has reached Situbondo regency, East Java.

The tree planting program in Situbondo kicked off on Aug. 26 following a ceremony attended by Regent Dadang Wigiarto, local Indonesian Ulema Council (MUI) chief Syaiful Muhyi and other local dignitaries.

Pop band Andra and The Backbone and singer Tasya Kamila were also present to enliven the event. A total of 850 trembesi seeds were planted in 17 subdistricts throughout Situbondo regency.

'€œThis trembesi tree planting activity is very positive, because aside from being very useful for local residents, it also benefits the nation and the world. With this activity, the Djarum Foundation has helped the government to reduce emissions in the environment. We hope that this event is not just ceremonial, but it can also be taken over by the community and the government to protect nature and the environment,'€ Tasya said.

'€œWithout a sense of understanding about the environment, [elements of] our environment could become extinct in no time. It is our hope that everyone can be more responsible and care for the environment,'€ said Andra and The Backbone'€™s members.

The Djarum Foundation has been carrying out its Djarum Trees for Life (DTFL) program since 2010.

Altogether, the trees planted along the span of Java'€™s northern coastal road could potentially absorb up to 1 million tons of carbon dioxide gas annually.

The entire program has been part of the Djarum Foundation'€™s way of showing that it cares and feels a sense of responsibility toward the environment, that it understands the importance of reducing the effects of global warming and that it needs to do its part to make a good environment for Indonesians in the future.

The project kicked off in Kudus regency, Central Java. Since it started in 1979, the DTFL program has planted more than 2 million seeds. Between 2010 and 2015, DTFL has so far successfully planted 36,763 trembesi trees along 1,260 kilometers of the northern coastal road from Merak in Banten province to Situbondo.

By the end of 2015, the planting project will end in Banyuwangi regency, East Java. A total of 37,000 trembesi trees will be planted along 1,350 kilometers of the northern coastal road in Java.

The road itself was chosen because it was the main route for vehicle owners traveling between cities in Java. The arid soil, hot weather and high pollution were important factors in choosing the place for planting trembesi trees. Aside from planting trees, DTFL has also been spent three years nurturing the trees it has planted.

Trembesi trees were chosen because they have high carbon dioxide absorption qualities, despite the small size of their leaves. '€œWith a diameter of 15 meters, one trembesi tree can absorb 28.5 tons of carbon dioxide gas each year,'€ said Dr. Endes N. Dahlan, a trembesi expert from the Forestry Department at the Bogor Institute of Agriculture.

The trembesi planted for the program came from the Djarum Foundation'€™s Plant Breeding Center. Opened in 1979, the center is located in Kudus regency and has rare plants from across the world. It produces around 100,000 seeds annually.

DTFL will always stay true to its commitment to the environment. It is all to create a livable environment of high quality for Indonesians and their children.

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