The tree planting event was organised by the UNEP Brussels Office and the UN Regional Information Centre for Western Europe (UNRIC), in cooperation with the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Brussels, and in collaboration with foresters from the Tervuren Arboretum, including the participation of staff from the European Union. Together they planted more than 600 trees, including an oak tree in honour of Mauro Petriccione, late Director General of DG for Climate Action of the European Commission.

This event which took place on 9 December, highlighted the impacts of climate change on forests, emphasising the importance of the ongoing biodiversity COP15,  thus marking the right to a healthy environment, which was recognized in July by the UN General Assembly, and also celebrating the Human Rights Day on 10 December.  

By this team effort we want to encourage local actions to restore nature within the spirit of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

The tree planting activity took place at the Arboretum of Tervuren. UNEP had previously worked with the Arboretum on an awareness raising initiative in the context of the UN Decade on Ecosystem Restoration.

The Arboretum hosts a large variety of species, with trees from all over the world. Unfortunately climate change has had an impact on some of the existing trees. The tree planting initiative aimed at restoring certain parts but also planting new species (imported for instance from the South of Europe), which should be more resilient and better suited to adapt to climate change.