A total of 36.000 trees were planted throughout Serbia as part of the project “1 ticket – 1 tree”
Serbia is richer for as many as 36,000 sycamore and red oak seedlings, thanks to the Serbia Open’s “1 ticket – 1 tree” project, which aimed to plant one tree in cities across Serbia for every ticket sold at the Serbia Open tournament. In this way, almost 100 hectares of land in 27 cities and municipalities, in more than 120 locations, were covered.
This number of trees will annually eliminate up to 840,000 tons of CO2 from the air, which in the long term will be one of the most significant contributions to the greening of cities, a better environment and better air quality in Serbia in the last 20 years.
This project, which was developed by the Legacy International company, is a confirmation that Serbia Open tournament is not only a major sporting event, but also a platform for creating a positive impact on the entire society and creating legacy that will last much longer than the tournament itself.
“I am extremely proud that we managed to implement such an important action and that the Serbia Open tournament left its mark in the form of 36,000 trees throughout our country. I am even happier that the citizens of Serbia contributed to the realization of this action and that together we enriched parks, river shores, promenades and areas near kindergartens and schools. Planting a large number of trees represented a demanding logistical challenge, which we easily overcame because we encountered only positive reactions from local governments. Each of the 27 cities and communities readily accepted the donation and became maximally involved in the implementation of this project, together with numerous volunteers, children and other citizens at each planting locations”, emphasized Djordje Djokovic, director of Legacy International and Serbia Open tournament, adding that from the beginning of the organization of this tournament, the goal was to provide additional contribution through various humanitarian actions and projects, promote a positive attitude towards the environment and raise citizens’ awareness of the importance and effects of such projects.
“A sports event is always filled with positive energy and fan spirit, but it is also a great platform for creating a wider positive impact, which will be felt and remembered long after the last match is played, and that is exactly what we want to achieve. The success and positive reactions after this action encouraged and motivated us to continue with similar projects in the future,” said Djordje Djokovic.
After the spring planting, which included more than 19,000 trees, in the second phase of planting during autumn and winter, an additional 16,940 seedlings were planted. From 27 cities and communities, which can be proud of their new “lungs”, the largest number was planted in the territory Zrenjanin, which is now richer for 4,500 sycamore and red oak trees, while in Paraćin, 4,000 new seedlings will refresh and decorate the Crnica riverbank and numerous settlements. As many as 3,500 red oak trees were planted in the area of Kikinda, while Kula is now much greener, thanks to 2,150 new trees. Pancevo, Novi Sad and Nis each received 2,000 new trees, where sycamore and red oak were planted in more than 25 locations.
In the capital of Serbia, across 13 locations, 1150 sycamore and red oak seedlings were planted. The action was also supported by well-known tennis players Andrey Rublev and Miomir Kecmanovic who joined the spring planting.
A large number of towns received more than 1,000 new trees as part of this campaign, and their branches will provide shade for all the residents of Lazarevac, Backa Palanka, Kragujevac, Smederevo, Rekovac, Pozarevac, Sabac and Kraljevo, as well as Backa Topola, in whose area as many as 1,500 trees were planted in 8 locations.
More than 700 red oak seedlings enriched the area of Leskovac and Sombor, while Vladimirci, Kruševac, Titel and Bogatić each planted 500 trees as part of this action.
Other cities were not left behind in this action, so Prijepolje, Kladovo, Opovo and Vršac together received over 1100 new trees that were planted in different locations.
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At each of the planting locations, an information board has been placed with all the details about this project, its goals and contribution to the location itself and the entire Serbia.
