Fundación Iberdrola reforests the Conde de Gazola Base in Leon with 25,800 native trees

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Fundación Iberdrola reforests the Conde de Gazola Base in Leon with 25,800 native trees

  • The planting of pine, Pyrenean oak, rowan, and birch over an area of nearly 30 hectares will prevent the emission of 3,708 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere during its life cycle
  • The project is being developed with the involvement of professionals from a local company, both in the planting and the maintenance and irrigation work
  •  This reforestation is part of the Iberdrola Forest Defense plan for the development of joint initiatives for the improvement, protection, and conservation of the environment in different military installations in the country

Iberdrola has taken another step forward in its commitment to a sustainable energy and development model that contributes to the fight against the loss of biodiversity, global warming, and its consequences. As part of its Tree Program, which aims to promote the planting of 20 million trees and absorbs 6 million tons of CO2 emissions by 2030, the company, through its Foundation in Spain, has reforested the Conde de Gazola Base in Ferral del Bernesga (León).

This reforestation, the sixth undertaken by Fundación Iberdrola as part of the Iberdrola Forest Defense plan, involved the planting of 25,800 native trees – pine, Pyrenean oak, rowan, and birch – over an area of nearly 30 hectares, which will prevent the emission of 3,708 tons of CO2 into the atmosphere during their life cycle.

Fundación Iberdrola España has invested more than 200,000 euros and has contracted a local company to carry out these works, as well as the maintenance and irrigation of the land over the next two years, with 6 local workers.

The president of Fundación Iberdrola, Fernando García, together with the Lieutenant General Chief of the DIGENIN -Directorate General of Infrastructure of the Ministry of Defense-, Luis Cebrián; the delegate of the Government in Castilla y León, Virginia Barcones; the mayoress of San Andrés del Rabanedo, Ana Fernández; the territorial delegate of the Junta de Castilla y León in the province, Eduardo Diego Pinedo, and the Chief of the Field Artillery Command and Military Commander of León, Brigadier General Vicente Torres, visited the reforestation site this Thursday morning to see the results and officially inaugurate it with a commemorative plaque.

The plantation “Iberdrola Forest Defense Base Conde de Gazola” that the Iberdrola Spain Foundation and the Ministry of Defense carry out in support of environmental protection, improves biodiversity and the fight against climate change in León.

Iberdrola Forest Defense Plan

Iberdrola signed in 2018 a collaboration agreement with the Ministry of Defense and the General Directorate of Infrastructures for the development of joint initiatives for the improvement, protection, and conservation of the environment in different military facilities.

One of the areas of action identified was the conservation of the natural environment. To this end, these entities agreed to develop a program for the reforestation of the military maneuvering fields owned by this ministry. Iberdrola, through its Foundation, oversees carrying out these works in the lands selected by the administration, with the commitment to carry out one every year.

Fundación Iberdrola España is developing this initiative with several reforestation projects on the Spanish Army maneuver and firing ranges. Since the signing of the agreement with the Ministry of Defense, the fields of Renedo-Cabezón -Valladolid-, Sierra del Retín -Cádiz-, the Chinchilla Training Center -Albacete-, the Coronel Sánchez Bilbao Base -Almagro-, the Villatobas Air Surveillance Squadron -Toledo- and the Barbanza Air Barracks -A Coruña- have been reforested. It has also led other reforestation projects such as the one in the Grazalema Biosphere Reserve to promote the conservation of the Abies Pinsapo species.

These initiatives not only improve and promote the conservation of the natural environment but also contribute to the reduction of CO2 emissions.

Commitment to decarbonization

Iberdrola began a profound transformation of its business model more than 20 years ago when it opted for a sustainable, safe, and competitive energy model that would enable it to tackle the fight against global climate change.

Today, the Iberdrola group is a world leader in the fight against climate change -goal 13 of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)- and in line with the group’s strategy and commitments to reduce emissions, the company has continued to add renewable capacity.

Iberdrola was the only European electricity company to be selected in all 23 editions of the prestigious Dow Jones Sustainability Index and is considered one of the most sustainable utilities in the world. Among other factors, it is valued for having reduced its direct emissions by almost 25% in the last five years.