The Repsol Foundation completes its tree planting project in Valencia

The 2010 Motorcycle World Championships draws to a close at the now customary venue of Valencia this weekend. To mark the event, the tree planting project undertaken by the Repsol Foundation – on the Iberian Peninsula and in Haiti – took another step on Thursday morning. The World Championship’s visit to the Valencia circuit made it possible to plant 1,000 trees in the surrounding area, as was the case at the Jerez, Catalunya and Aragón circuits.

At the inside of turn three of the Valencia track, at 12 o’clock midday, the first trees were planted for the project, on this occasion with the collaboration of the Valencian riders from the Motorcycle World Championship; Héctor Barberá, Julián Simón, Nico Terol, and Jorge Martínez ‘Aspar’. They wanted to do their bit for the Repsol Foundation Project, added to which were former 80cc World Champion, Champi Herreros and the Ricardo Tormo Circuit Director, Julio García. Just as the Repsol riders did in Jerez, the Spanish journalists in Catalunya and the Dorna team in Aragón, some of the most important representatives from the world of motorsport in Valencia wanted to participate in this special initiative, helping to plant the first trees at the Valencia track.

This project plans to plant 1,000 trees at the circuit and in the surrounding area, and at the same time it will offer the fans the chance to plant a tree at home with a kit containing everything necessary, endorsed by the Environmental Programme of the UN.

For each kit, via a donation, another tree will be planted in Haiti and all funds collected shall be given in its entirety to the agro-forest development project, also in Haiti, in collaboration with Solidaridad Internacional.

This social initiative of helping towards the development and recovery of the Environment includes the collaboration of all the professionals involved in the World Championship (riders, technicians, commissioners, press, etc.) who, together with volunteers and specialists have participated in the planting that began at the Jerez circuit at the start of the season.

The objective of the programme is to plant 29,000 trees in Spain of varying species such as poplars and ash and the same quantity of local species in Haiti. In total 58,000 trees will be planted. The Repsol Foundation’s promise of help for the reconstruction of Haiti will make the planting of trees a basic part of the recovery of the country: to provide fruit, agricultural food supply, construction materials and sustainable fuel for the local population.

This rural development project in the Pichon, Belle Anse municipal sector in the south-western area of Haiti, is trying to improve the standard of living. The different activities of the project include the cultivation of plots of land, the rehabilitation of agricultural routes and education in response to natural disasters. The planting in Haiti is planned to begin in 2010 and continue during 2011.