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Afforestation at Plant Sites to Conserve Local Ecosystems, Contributing to the local community
Toyota is conducting afforestion activities around its production plants with the aim of creating forests with vegetation that is indigenous to the region and fostering a diverse ecosystem. In order to utilize and achieve harmony with nature, production plants seek to restore indigenous ecosystems to the greatest extent possible.
Toyota investigates the potential natural vegetation of the region where the production plant is located and, based on the results, has planted trees at and around the Tsutsumi Plant and several other production plants.
Afforestation activities to date: Total number of trees planted: approximately 230,000 trees
Japan: Motomachi Plant, Takaoka Plant, Tsutsumi Plant, Kinuura Plant, Tahara Plant, Motomachi Environmental Center
Employees are raising saplings from seed to plant with their own hands around the production plant.
Growth Record (Tsutsumi Plant)
At time of tree-planting event
As of November 2009
As of May 2010
Overseas: TMT (Thailand), Ban Pho Plant, TKM (India), TKAP
India: TKM Afforestation activities
TKM created a plan to plant 40,000 m² of trees in three stages along its approximately 1.7 million m² site. In June 2009, the first afforestation event was held at the plant in Bidadi, Karnataka. More than 6,000 people including Karnataka state representatives, local students, suppliers, dealers, Professor Emeritus Miyawaki of Yokohama National University, TKM President Nakagawa and employees and their families participated as volunteers in the event, planting 32,500 seedlings.
Ecosystem Monitoring
After trees are planted, Toyota periodically monitors the growth of the trees. At the Tsutsumi Plant, which serves as a model plant, the forests in the surrounding areas were surveyed, and birds and insects expected to live in the Tsutsumi Plant woods in the future were selected as indicators. Monitoring will continue in the future to confirm that the ecosystem is approaching the condition of the local forests.
Through these activities, Toyota hopes to contribute to the development of a green network.
Contributing to the Local Community
The Tsutsumi Plant also contributes to the local community through environmental education using a biotope created on the plant grounds that recreates the local ecosystem.
Contributing to the local community through the biotope (left: releasing killifish; center: an eco-tour; right: rice planting)
These activities have been well received, and the Tsutsumi Plant has received external commendations, including the Sustainable Management Pearl Award of the Seventh Japan Sustainable Management Awards and the Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister's Award of the 29th Green City Awards.
Seventh Japan Sustainable Management Award (June 3, 2009)
Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism Minister's Award of the 29th Green City Awards (October 30, 2009)
