UPM and Libra Vitalis Initiate Replantation of Burnt National Park in Lithuania


Helsinki, Finland, 21 February 2008 -- Libra Vitalis and UPM have launched a joint campaign to replant 30 hectares of burnt forest in one of Lithuania’s most valuable national parks on the Curionian Spit.

The Smiltyne Forest is part of the Kursiu National Park on the Curionian Spit in Northern Lithuania. In May 2006, a fire destroyed 200 hectares of this UNESCO World Heritage site and therewith one of the most valuable and most preserved natural territories of Lithuania.

“This incident was a national disaster for Lithuania, as Smiltyne is a unique sample of the Baltic relief,” says Jurate Ramaskaite, manager of the Printing Paper Department at Libra Vitalis. “And of course, Smiltyne has a high recreational value for all Lithuanians,” she adds.

For each metric ton of Maxi and Future paper sold during 2008, Libra Vitalis Lithuania will plant 10 pine trees in the burnt Smiltyne forest. UPM supports this project with a kick-off fund. In total, Libra Vitalis expects to replant 150,000 pines during the plantation periods in April and September. Customers present at the kick-off event, among them printing house representatives, resellers, and corporate consumers of office papers, highly welcomed this initiative.

Libra Vitalis is one of the major suppliers of paper, cardboard, polygraphic materials and equipment in Lithuania and a member of Igepa group.