Tree planting in the garden of the Norwegian Forest Society

Your Royal Highness,
Excellencies
Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is a great pleasure to welcome you here in the garden of the Norwegian Forest Society, on behalf of Norway and Spain; the co-chairing countries of the FOREST EUROPE Ministerial Conference.

I would like to express my gratitude to His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon for planting a very special tree this morning.

The tree which His Royal Highness will plant, is the last tree of a nationwide tree planting project for school children here in Norway.

Through participating in this initiative, that is carried out in Norway and globally, FOREST EUROPE aims to engage school children, and enhance their knowledge about the role of forests for climate change mitigation and how sustainable forest management helps to shape a healthy environment for both today and tomorrow.

The FOREST EUROPE trees planted throughout the year will also compensate for the travel emissions of the participants of the Ministerial Conference.

We would now like to ask Your Royal Highness to plant this little tree.

Thank you!

We are now looking forward to the official opening of the FOREST EUROPE Ministerial Conference by His Royal Highness.

The Oslo Ministerial Conference will further contribute to the cooperation process that has developed Europe’s ability to protect and sustain healthy forests and its environmental, social and economic benefits.

This is particularly relevant in 2011, the United Nations’ International Year of Forests; in Norway, Europe and globally!