The Tuesday panel discussion hosted by JövőMűhely explored an essential and timely question: why is tree planting important, and how does it contribute to the livability of our cities? Among the participants was our company group’s Deputy CEO, Sándor Szabó, who joined the professional discourse for the second time this year.
The speakers addressed the many benefits of planting trees—from cleaner air and soil protection to the positive impact on public health in urban environments. The event also touched on the continuation of Debrecen’s tree-planting program and the expansion of protective forest belts. Ten exemplary environmentally conscious communities were recognized during the event, each receiving the Sustainable Debrecen Award from the municipality.
In line with the city’s Green Codex initiative, this summer saw the launch of a new program aiming to plant 10,000 additional trees. Our company contributed by planting a two-kilometer-long shelterbelt of 150 flowering ash saplings in Felső-Józsa.
As the recipient of the 2022 Sustainable Debrecen Award, our Deputy CEO emphasized that we plant trees in Debrecen because we value living in a green urban environment. As he put it: “We strive to live in harmony with nature, and this harmony is supported by a landscape full of trees that provide shade and bring nature’s presence closer to our daily lives. That’s why we’re doing everything we can to ensure we operate in an increasingly green environment.”
Photo credit: Szabolcs Kandert
Pál László Győrösi, PR manager at Richter Gedeon Plc., recalled that in 2021 they planted 68 Japanese cherry trees between the Vágóhíd overpass and Budai Ézsaiás Street—an area now known as the Alma Mater Grove. The 120-year-old company has committed to doubling this grove every five years in cooperation with the local government. According to Győrösi, Richter’s mission is health, and their long-term greening initiative is meant to support the preservation, development, and expansion of green spaces in Debrecen.
András Kuhn, Chief Gardener of Debrecen, highlighted the trees’ role in water retention and announced that the city will continue the tree planting and protective afforestation efforts next year. He stressed that one of the city’s key goals is to reintroduce shelterbelts, which could drastically reduce the city’s dust pollution.
Orsolya Hamecz, certified conservation engineer and head of the municipality’s green space department, emphasized Debrecen’s centuries-old tree-planting tradition, which the city is continuing and modernizing today. She stated that the afforestation efforts are now being carried out in a planned and professionally grounded manner, with a strong emphasis on protecting and valuing the planted trees. Across the city, five million square meters of green areas are irrigated and maintained, with an effort to establish wildflower lawns and bee pastures.
This year, ten outstandingly eco-conscious communities won the Sustainable Debrecen Award: Tócóskert Community Garden, Rada Árnyékolás Ltd., Tiszántúli Regional Water Directorate, Százszorszép Kindergarten, Debreceni Kerékpár Ltd. and its JóBringa Bicycle Shop and Service, Fancsika Fans Nature and Ecotourism Association, Gönczy Pál Primary School, Neopac Hungary Ltd., TÁRS-95 Ltd., and Karácsony György Street Kindergarten. The awards were presented to representatives of corporate, institutional, and civil organizations following the panel discussion. Altogether, 30 communities now proudly hold this prestigious title.
In his closing remarks, Deputy Mayor Ákos Balázs summarized the essence of Debrecen’s green efforts as a “set of values, a style, and a movement,” adding that the city’s common value system is centered on humanity: respect and love for nature—something that reflects who we are as Debrecen residents, as parents, and as stewards of the next generation.
Source: dehir.hu – 10 environmentally conscious communities receive the Sustainable Debrecen Award
