T

he scorching afternoon heat did not deter Minister of Public Works Djoko Kirmanto, managers of Djarum Foundation, recipients of Djarum Scholarships Plus and celebrities from Jakarta from planting trembesi trees in Onggorawe, Demak, Central Java Tengah on May 11, 2011.

Together they symbolically planted the trees as the initial step of the program called ‘Trees for Life, Menanam Trembesi Mencintai Bumi’ (Planting Trembesi trees and Loving the Earth) which is managed by Djarum Foundation for the year 2011.

“This year it is our target to plant 7,300 trembesi trees on the shoulder of the road from Semarang to Losari,” said Suwarno M Serad, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of Djarum Foundation.

This is a continuation of a similar program by Djarum Foundation in 2010 when 2,767 trembesi trees were planted on the streets of Kudus city, Central Java. “We have been fully committed to the environment since 1979,” said Suwarno.

The symbolic planting of trembesi trees was inaugurated by Djoko Kirmanto and a number of regional officials, such as the Demak regent Drs. Tafta Zani and other officials from related institutions. The representatives of Beswan Djarum (recipients of Djarum Scholarship Plus) as well as celebrities Ashanti, Agni Pratista and Vino G. Bastian also participated in the environment saving campaign.

Suwarno M Serad added that the program is a consistent effort to preserve the environment and invite the public to love trees to help improve the quality of life. Since 1979 or for more than 30 years this program has been Djarum’s commitment to enhance Indonesian’s quality of life.

The trembesi tree, also known as the rain tree, has been selected for the program because it has leaves the size of Rp 100 coins and is able to absorb a large amount of carbon dioxide.

According to a research conducted by Dr. Ir. H. Endes N. Dahlan, a lecturer at the School of Forestry of the Bogor Institute of Agriculture, one mature Trembesi tree is able to absorb 28.5 tons of CO2 annually (crown diameter 15 meters).

“The planting of trembesi trees on the shoulder of the road will reduce the level of CO2 and it is also our consistent effort to put a brake on global warming,” said Suwarno.