BTA in collaboration with World Nature Fund shall hold activities aimed at restoring natural areas
October was marked by BTA Baltic Insurance Company AAS (hereinafter – BTA) employee trip on Nature Holidays in collaboration with World Nature Fund (LV - Pasaules Dabas Fonds, hereinafter – PDF) and Wildlife Protection Agency. Voluntary activities aimed at restoring natural areas, sustaining natural processes and developing natural habitat are held in the framework of Nature Holidays.
BTA is a company demonstrating social responsibility and, considering BTA’s developing digitalization and electronization of processes, the current social responsibility direction chosen by the company implies conservation and restoration of natural resources. Autumn is the perfect time for clean-ups aimed at preserving natural areas, because the presence of people may not hinder, for instance, nesting birds anymore, therefore, the BTA employees are going to have Nature Holidays in October.
In collaboration with PDF, World Wildlife Fund associated partner in Latvia, five natural areas of significance in need of a clean-up and restoration activities in different regions of Latvia have been selected in order to ensure natural processes disrupted or disturbed by humans. Already tomorrow, the BTA employees together with environmental experts are going to Nature Park “Pape”, nature restoration works shall be performed in “Pitrags” (territory of Slītere National Park), Natural sanctuary “Eglone”, in Randu fields and Kemeri National Park in the course of October.
Chairman of the BTA Board Jānis Lucaus is satisfied that Nature Holidays generated a significant level of engagement among employees. “We encouraged employees to apply voluntarily to spend one workday full of social activity and to participate in activities aimed at restoring natural areas. The large response rate of employees was a welcome surprise to me – 160 volunteers applied, and colleagues continue to apply notwithstanding autumn weather conditions. The most – 50 colleagues applied for a clean-up in Randu fields and reached the maximal number of the clean-up participants in order to ensure efficient clean-up. Nature Holidays present a perfect framework for teambuilding marked by extra added value – nature restoration, therefore, I shall also join my colleagues in these activities”, says Jānis Lucaus.
Director of PDF Jānis Rozītis takes delight in interest taken by BTA in participation in Nature Holidays and emphasizes the importance of performing works aimed at maintaining biodiversity. “We would like to broaden conventional belief that the essence of a clean-up is merely garbage collection in spring. Biodiversity has decreased affected directly or indirectly by human activity, natural habitats have disappeared and population of the species has shrunk. However, humans upon ensuring natural processes and peculiarities may also restore natural diversity. For instance, In Rucava region in Nature Park “Pape” inundated fields require clearance from bushes. These fields harbour nesting birds and about 100 wild cows and horses. Upon field clearance, wild animals will have larger pastures, they will eat the new shoots of bushes and thus, next year less bush will require sawing. Same accounts for Randu fields in Salacgrīva region that require clean-up from bulrush and grass. So far, the fields are overgrown and it hinders the birds nesting therein. The islands of Kaņiera lake of National Park Ķemeri also require a hand of hope to clean them from the plant cover – small trees and bushes. This is a very important natural area for the birds nesting therebeside that will not come back if the islands remain overgrown. Nationally protected areas of the kind, which require human interference in order to maintain and restore biodiversity, are there all the country round”, emphasizes Jānis Rozītis.
BTA and PDF encourages everyone to be responsible, to conserve nature and to take care of nature protection and conservation for the next generations.
About BTA
BTA Baltic Insurance Company is a major insurance company in the Baltic States, offering the broadest range of non-life insurance services in Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia. The largest shareholder of BTA is Vienna Insurance Group AG, one of the leading insurers in Europe with 190 years of experience in the insurance field. More than 50 companies in 25 countries constitute the group, which employs 24,000 employees. Vienna Insurance Group AG is a clear leader in its core markets in Europe maintaining high rating of financial stability – Standard & Poor’s A+ (stable outlook), with a listing on the Vienna and the Prague Stock Exchange.
About PDF
The goal of World Nature Fund is to conserve nature in order to preserve the diversity of genes, species and ecosystems, to ensure sustainable use of renewable natural resources now and in years to come, to help reducing pollution and wasteful consumption of natural and energy resources. The organization operates in Latvia since 1991. In 2005, World Nature Fund concluded a cooperation agreement with the world’s most influential wildlife conservation organization – WWF. World Nature Fund and WWF are working toward common goals and implementing joint campaigns and projects.
More information:
Elīna Rasmane
Marketing and Public Relations Department Director
BTA Baltic Insurance Company AAS
e-mail: elina.rasmane@bta.lv