Bangkok governor Chadchart Sittipunt and Prasit Boondoungprasert, chief executive officer at Charoen Pokphand Foods (CP Foods), jointly launched the “Forest in the City” Project at Lumpini Park. The sapling giveaway project is in line with the city's effort to combat smog and make a greener city with a million more trees.
The Bangkok governor also visited CP Foods’ reforestation exhibition, showcasing the successes of CPF’s Rak-Nives and CPF’s Grow-Share-Protect projects in conserving biodiversity in the watershed to mangrove forests as well as creating stable income and food security for those who live nearby.
CP Foods CEO and the governor planted magnolia champaca trees together and gave away saplings from different kinds of plants to people to grow at home, including perennial plants, air-purifying trees and other auspicious trees. These planting trees were raised in nurseries in Khao Phraya Doen Thong, Lopburi, where CP Foods operates Rak-Nives, a watershed forest conservation project.
The governor thanked CP Foods for taking part in Bangkok Metropolitan Administration’s one-million-more- trees campaign to build better cities for the next generation. In order to do so, the public-private collaboration is needed. CP Foods has set a good example in this regard. The company offers a helping hand, using expertise from its successful watershed and mangrove reforestation project to provide the high-quality saplings for people in Bangkok.
“Together, we can create a good city from the cooperation of everyone,” Sittipunt said,
Prasit pointed out that environmental stewardship is one of CP Foods’ priorities. In order for the company to achieve good performance the society, environment and country where it operates must be good first.
He also thanked BMA for giving CP Foods the opportunity to participate in such a good activity, mentioning that CP Foods is proud that the Forest in the City Project has helped to make a greener city for people of Bangkok.
The “Forest in the City” initiative is an effort to support BMA’s one-million-more- trees campaign as well as increase green space for Thailand in line with United Nations Sustainable Development goals, No. 13 and No. 15, to “take urgent action to combat climate change and its impacts” and “protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial ecosystems” respectively.
