Jiřina Dvořáková

What were the beginnings and how did you get involved with the project? Was there a first moment or event that started it all?

At the beginning of 2018, which is now almost 6 years ago, I was at an event where the founder of our project came and said: "I want to plant trees and buy land. I don't know exactly where and what kind of trees yet. My vision is to plant a billion trees." That made sense to me. At the time, however, I had no idea that I would be so intensely involved in this project. Gradually, other people joined this project and today it is a full-time activity for me. It makes more and more sense to me and I enjoy it more and more. Currently, I am in the position of: project team leader, member of management and member of the supervisory board of a joint-stock company.

How did the idea of investing your time in planting trees come about and why Colombia in particular?

We originally thought about other countries as well. Thanks to the government organization Czech Trade, which helps companies abroad, our business was directed to Colombia. Colombia and the Vichada region is where we bought the first land and planted the first savannas in 2019. Fast-growing trees grow very well in this area, and there are also companies here that have experience with such planting and we have established cooperation with them. At the same time, which was very important for us, we can own the land as a Czech joint-stock company.

Colombia experienced a lot of deforestation in the 1970s, which means that today there are a lot of barren savannas in the area. There are only a few trees that can grow in this barren soil. Even if there is enough rain in these places, the soil does not absorb moisture and it runs off into the rivers, and the soil dries out more and more. Thanks to these eucalyptus trees we planted and their roots, the moisture remains in the ground and the undergrowth thrives there.

How many people are currently involved in the project?

We have over 10,000 members. On the one hand, they are people who invest their money well in our trees, thereby making them valuable, because wood is a commodity. On the other hand, they are also people who help us with the project, spread the idea of planting trees further, and do everything professionally, part-time or full-time. And also people who support us as volunteers, come and plant mature trees here in the Czech Republic with our foundation. So, in fact, everyone can get involved.

What challenges did you have to overcome when establishing the plantations, when it was “originally barren and untouched savannah”? Did you handle everything personally?

Nowadays, many things can be done online, but of course the details need to be agreed on site. The plots are different, in some parts you can plant, in others you can't. There are also floodplains where planting is not allowed. All this always needs to be found out on site. We currently have over 2,000 hectares of land and we are currently negotiating the purchase of additional land. The landscape is of course different from European, so just getting there is a huge challenge. If it has been raining for a long time, you can get stuck in the mud on the way to our planted plots and have to be pulled out. They also thoroughly checked us when we signed the first contract. Today, we have established excellent cooperation with a local company that produces this particular planting material, as well as other partners. We have our branch here...

I was in Colombia this February and I am pleased that our first planted trees have already become a beautiful mature forest. The trees here grow at an incredible speed. After just 3 months, a small seedling becomes a tree about 1.5 meters tall.

Today I can say – we succeeded. Of course, the path is never easy, but it is important when you go for it and say to yourself: “We can do it, we can do it”. In short, obstacles are everywhere and always, you just need to overcome them.

Do you also work with local communities in Colombia? What is their attitude towards your activities and do you have an impact on their lives?

For example, we established cooperation with a local school in Colombia, we certainly have support. For example, there was an art competition for children. Not only individuals but also Czech schools, including art schools, participated in the project. The task was to introduce children in Colombia to how children live here in the Czech Republic. The project was part of our foundation. Colombians are very welcoming. During our stay, we were accommodated on a small farm there and the care they took of us was incredible. We also visited the Kogi Indian tribe during our last stay in Colombia, which was a truly unforgettable experience. Their life is in harmony with nature and they have something to teach us and something to pass on to us.

Otherwise, not only are barren savannas being planted, but the added value is that we are giving local people work in places where there is a shortage of work. There is also a large representation of women in this work. Of course, we are not the only company operating here, there are also large multinational companies. But we have managed to ensure that every citizen of our country and other countries in the world can participate in this segment.

What are the risks that investors should be aware of, such as pests, bad weather, maybe even thieves?

Of course, we thought of all this. Our trees are insured against fire, vandalism and other things. In addition, we have a guard on site who guards the area. The trees are also fenced in a checkerboard pattern in blocks and between these blocks there are wide fire protection strips. This means that in the meantime, the fire protection strips are maintained only from sandy paths so that there can be no fire. We try to eliminate everything. I would also like to add that our trees have the international FSC quality certification. Which means that they are grown in harmony with nature and local people.

What are the possible uses of trees when they reach the required age?

We had the first trees in 2019. Trees are ready for some processing at the earliest after about 7-8 years. At this stage of growth, there is a possibility of using them for wood chips, which means, for example, for energy. If the trees are in the ground for a longer time, they can also be used for furniture and for further processing. Trees can be in the ground for up to 30 years. Which we are preparing as part of ESG.

How is the project's success measured? Is it, for example, the number of trees planted, the area of forested land, or the impact on local communities?

We are creating a community of people who help us with the project. People are investing their money in wood and doing something for nature. If the savannahs are not reforested, they will continue to dry out. When we talked to the local people, they praised the fact that they can breathe much better in the places where the trees have been planted. The biggest success for us is when we see how the trees from 2019 are already full-grown. How the forest is starting to live. We are a new project and new people are constantly coming to support us and join us.