Yokohama Plants More Than 2,000 Trees at 'Forever Forest' Event

Oct. 10, 2017

More than 300 volunteers helped plant more than 2,000 trees in West Point, Miss., as part of Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd.’s Forever Forest project.

Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Mississippi LLC’s (YTMM) factory in West Point, Miss., held a tree-planting ceremony on Oct. 7 as part of the “Yokohama Forever Forest” project.

Forever Forest began in 2007 and is a long-term, global environmental initiative by the factory’s parent company in Japan, Yokohama Rubber Co. Ltd.

More than 300 participants consisting of Yokohama employees and guests, including West Point Mayor Robbie Robinson, worked together to plant more than 2,000 tree seedlings, which will help absorb carbon dioxide. Carbon dioxide traps heat from leaving the atmosphere, thus contributing to climate change.

“This is our first Forever Forest planting at YTMM,” said Tetsuya Kuze, president of YTMM, “and I’m very pleased to see so many people help us in this important and beneficial effort. Forever Forest embodies our commitment to protecting the local area as well as the planet.”

West Point Mayor Robbie Robinson added: “The Forever Forest environmental initiative is another way Yokohama Tire is putting back into our community.”

Yokohama recently reached its Forever Forest goal of planting 500,000 trees worldwide (nearly 25 acres of new forest) to coincide with the company’s 100th anniversary this year.

The YTMM tree planting was led by Dr. Kazue Fujiwara. The 16 types of trees planted are indigenous to the area and included Cherry Bark Oak, Red Mulberry, Water Oak and Black Cherry. Dr. Fujiwara is a vegetation scientist and Professor Emeritus of Yokohama National University, Professor of Yokohama City University, Vice Chairman of the International Vegetation Society and Councilor of the International Vegetation Society. Dr. Fujiwara was assisted by Makaoto Asahi.

Yokohama Tire Corp. and Yokohama Tire Manufacturing Mississippi are part of Yokohama Corp. of North America, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Tokyo, Japan-based Yokohama Rubber Co., Ltd., a global manufacturing and sales company of tires that’s celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2017. Yokohama Corp. of North America oversees all Yokohama-related operations in North America, including sales and marketing, manufacturing, technical development, long-term corporate planning and investment.

For more information on Yokohama’s product line, visit www.yokohamatire.com.

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