ALJ Türkiye launches forestation scheme with 1.4 million trees due to be planted in first year

ALJ Türkiye, part of Jameel Motors, has launched a major forestation scheme aimed at combating climate change and restoring forested areas lost due to the increasing wildfires in recent years, setting an example for all sectors.

As part of this initiative, ALJ Türkiye announced its decision to launch a campaign to plant 10 saplings for every car sold under its brands Toyota, Lexus and BYD; consequently, 1.4 million trees will be planted within one year.

ALJ Türkiye will carry out this campaign in collaboration with OGEM-VAK and will make significant contributions to forestation efforts of Türkiye each year.

Announcing that this campaign will not be limited to just one year, but continuously implemented for all automotive brands sold under ALJ Türkiye, resulting in the planting of over 1 million trees each year across the country, Ali Haydar Bozkurt, Chief Executive Officer, ALJ Türkiye and Jameel Motors Türkiye & Europe emphasized the importance of the initiative:

“In recent years, we have seen the negative effects of climate change more intensely and we recognize that one of the most effective ways to combat this issue is to increase forestation.  At the same time, we unfortunately lose thousands of hectares of forest every year to devastating fires.  As the number of trees decreases, rainfall also declines and we sadly witness many disasters each year, particularly erosion and floods.  At ALJ Türkiye, we wanted to take action on this issue and launch an initiative that would inspire all sectors.

“We believe we have a responsibility for the land we do business on.  By planting 10 trees for each car sold, we will ensure that 1.4 million trees are rooted in the soil within a year.

“Through this scheme, we will create approximately 1,000 football fields of green space in our country within one year.”

ALJ Türkiye is working closely with OGEM-VAK, a national foundation specialized in scientifically guided reforestation.

Within the framework of the forestation needs plan determined by OGEM-VAK across Türkiye, saplings will be planted according to soil structure, vegetation, tree species, and planting timing.

While the foundation will carry out the planting of the saplings, it will also be responsible for the care of the trees for a period of three to five years, depending on the species of the trees. This way, the ecological independence of the saplings will be ensured, and new saplings will be planted in place of any that do not survive.  As such, a permanent green space will be left for the future years of Türkiye. 

Forests and green areas are of great importance not only for humans but also for animals. The forests that will be created through tree planting scheme is tailored to also host wildlife across the country.

Approximately 10% of the trees chosen in ALJ Türkiye’s forestation initiative will consist of fruit trees. These new forests, which will serve as a habitat and food source for hundreds of thousands of wild animals, will contribute not only to the forestation movement but also to the formation of a sustainable, viable, and thriving ecosystem.