The Number of Tree Planting |
5 |
Trees were planted |
50,000 |
Number of volunteers |
4,269 |
Since 1990 there have been noticeable areas along Japan's coastal roads where the trees are turning brown, and this effect has become even prevalent in recent years. Acid rain and pine-eating insects have caused large portions of the pine forests in Akita to wither, so together with JR Eastern Japan Akita Company we have undertaken a tree planting project to plant trees to prevent beach and coastal erosion. In 2006, the 2nd year of a 5 year plan, on May 20th (Saturday) 755 volunteers (520 from AEON and 235 from JR) planted 10,000 oak, quillwort and other trees. On April 29 (Sunday) of 2007, we invited Prof. Wangari Maathai, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and former Assistant Minister for Environment of Kenya.