Entrepreneurs and business owners based at the Welsh Innovation Centre for Enterprise (Welsh ICE) in Caerphilly have been planting trees around their campus.
Thirty tree saplings were planted around the campus between October 18 and October 23.
In total, 58 business owners have pledged £10 to sponsor a tree, which will have a plaque with the company’s logo.
With a waiting list of 28 people, the campus is confident of reaching its target of planting 80 crab apple, rowan and silver birch trees.
Campus Director Jamie McGowan said: “We were blown over by the tremendous support the initiative has had. One of the huge benefits of the campus is that it is set in such a lovely green space, with official walk paths and forests minutes from our door.
“But we want to try and make every inch of the campus beautiful, as well as try and help our members offset their carbon footprint.”
Mr McGowan added: “Although we all still have a long way to go in terms of carbon reduction, along with incentives like reserved carpool spaces and limiting plastic use, we hope we can play a role in pushing towards a greener way of working. One of the best ways of doing that is through the planting of trees.”
According to the Woodland Trust, trees not only help protect the environment by soaking up and storing CO2, they also help strengthen the soil, prevent flooding and erosion and provide food and shelter to wildlife.
Welsh ICE member and founder of GoConnect, Alun Prosser, said: “As well as the amazing community at ICE, one of the big benefits of the Campus is the amount of greenery that surrounds it.
“During the summer they have weekly running clubs that make the most of the woods, and we always try to take part if we don’t have any meetings or workshops lined up.
“When the team at ICE put the notice up asking if anyone wanted to sponsor and plant a tree, we jumped at the chance to be a part of making the place greener. I looked a bit over-keen when I turned up with a shovel and trowel after doing a bit of landscaping over the weekend, but they came in handy as we used it to plant ‘Grow Connect’ – the official GoConnect tree.”