Tree plantings mark CEMEX centenary

TO celebrate CEMEX UK’s 100th anniversary and the company’s commitment to conservation and sustainability, last year over 6,000 employees across the UK were each given a mountain ash or silver birch sapling to plant in their garden or donate to a local charity or organization.

Some of the employees donated their trees to local community groups. In Cambridge, drivers from CEMEX’s Flixton Quarry donated theirs to the local primary school, while in Dereham, Norfolk, the trees are being used to create a tree avenue in a local ‘pocket’ park, and in South Ferriby, on the Humber, a windbreak is being formed by the trees at the local CEMEX angling site.

In addition, during November, 100 trees were planted at each of eight CEMEX quarries throughout the country, in partnership with local schools. Each tree was labelled with a child’s name, and over the coming months and years the children will be able to follow the progress of their trees to see how they grow and change with the seasons.

All the trees planted were native species to Britain, including birch, maple, beech, alder, ash, aspen, oak and rowan. These will provide habitat for a wide range of wildlife and help to tackle global warming by reducing the effects of carbon emissions on the climate.

In total, in their anniversary year, CEMEX planted 30,000 trees. Over the next 100 years, these could absorb up to 9,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2).