Bangkok, 19 July 2008-Thailand's 'Plant for the Planet, Plant for the Future' campaign was launched today at the opening ceremony of the Sirindhorn International Environment Park (SIEP).

Nearly 300,000 tree species, including beech and mangrove as well as lowland, wetland and highland forest species are expected to be planted in the new 288-hectare park. The park also features a Regional Centre for Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development and a wind power generation system.

The 'Plant for the Planet, Plant for the Future' campaign aims to preserve forests for future generations and promote public awareness of the importance of trees among schools, communities, civil groups and businesses. The campaign is being held under the auspices of the United Nations Environment Programme's Billion Tree Campaign, which began in January 2007.

Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP Executive Director, said: "The launch of 'Plant for the Planet, Plant for the Future' is a great boost to our Billion Tree Campaign, which is going from strength to strength and catalyzing action across the planet. I welcome this important step towards our new target of 7 billion trees before the 2009 climate convention meeting in Copenhagen."

The UNEP Executive Director said the campaign now has the support of two Royal personalities. Alongside Thai Princess HRH Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, the Billion Tree Campaign has His Serene Highness, Prince Albert II of Monaco as a co-patron. Mr Steiner urged senior figures from other Royal Households across the world to become involved given the enormous potential of such indivividuals to catalyze public and grassroots action.

Dr. Sumet Tantivejkul, Chairman of the SIEP Foundation, said: "The Tree Planting Campaign in Thailand aims to promote the restoration of the natural ecology of the country through forestation, thus moving towards creating an environmentally friendly society where people harmoniously co-exist with nature, and the SIEP is honoured to be involved in this."

Dr. Monthip Sriratana Tabucanon, Director General of the Department of Environment Quality Promotion, said: "Forests act as natural carbon sinks and are homes to millions of animals, birds and other species; they provide food and fodder and help enhance people's livelihoods."

Tomoko Yano, Secretary General of the Foundation for Global Peace and Environment(FGPE), said: "We, Foundation for Global Peace and Environment, have been collaborating with UNEP to carry out the tree planting campaign in Kenya since 2003. We are very pleased that HRH Princess Sirindhorn is launching the campaign in Thailand at the Sirindhorn International Environmental Park, with the participation of a thousand of local school children. We started this campaign with the press conference in Bangkok last November as a celebration of the 120th Anniversary of Thailand-Japan Diplomatic Relations, with support of Japanese companies. We sincerely hope that the campaign will expand throughout the Kingdom of Thailand and encourage Thai people to be involved in tree planting activities in each community, to nurture precious forests for future generations."

NOTES TO EDITORS

The Plant for the Planet, Plant for the Future campaign in Thailand is jointly organized by the Sirindhorn International Environmental Park Foundation under the patronage of HRH Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, the Japan-based Foundation for Global Peace and Environment (FGPE), the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment-Department of Environmental Quality Promotion and UNEP.

The campaign is being held with the support of Hitachi Ltd., Hitachi Group of Companies in Thailand, Honda Thailand Foundation, Kao Corporation, Saha-Union Group in Thailand, Bayer Ltd., Daisho Co. Ltd., JIAS Group, Yoshishige-gumi Co. Ltd, C&C Group and Unicharm Corporation in Japan.

The UNEP Billion Tree Campaign began in January 2007. In May this year, a new target of 7 billion trees was set, to plant one tree for every person before the 2009 climate convention meeting.

For more information, please contact:

Nick Nuttall, UNEP Spokesperson, on Tel: +254 20 7623084, Mobile: +254 733 632755, or: +41 795965737, or e-mail: nick.nuttall@unep.org

Anne-France White, Associate Information Officer, at tel: +254 20 762 3088, or e-mail: anne-france.white@unep.org

Ms Satwant Kaur, Regional Information Officer,United Nations Environment Programme Regional Office for Asia and the Pacific, Tel: + (66 2) 288 2127; E-mail: kaur@un.org

Ms. Areeporn Sittiyanpaiboon, Lecturer, Sirindhorn International Environmental Park, Tel: 66(0)32 508-396

UNEP ROAP News Release 08/09