Miškobank – a part of a responsible approach to the future
In August, InRento joined the Miškobank campaign, an initiative by the Sengirės fondas and Synthesis CG, the goal of which is to establish the world's first pension fund for old-growth Lithuanian forests. We contribute to the campaign as the main patron.
The campaign slogan "Let's return old age to nature", which is resonating throughout Lithuania all August, is a certain continuation of the highly successful "Uncuttable Asset" initiative from last year. Its goal is to preserve biologically valuable and mature plots of Lithuanian forests.
An ecological initiative presented from an economic perspective
Miškobank focuses on one of the most pressing topics of recent times: saving for the future. The initiative invites joint efforts to create a "pension fund" with natural capital, dedicated to forests. Its "eternal ecological return" would allow the most valuable Lithuanian forests to become a protected, uncuttable asset.
The collected support will be used to buy out three biologically valuable, mature forest plots where various forms of life flourish. This year, special attention is being paid to Group IV forests – those that have no protection from logging.
A digital Miškobank platform has been created to attract support. On it, you can familiarise yourself with the forests selected by biologists and choose how to contribute to their preservation.
Last year, the "Uncuttable Asset" campaign exceeded its initial target by 157%. 3,750 private sponsors and 21 organisations joined it, and over EUR 180,000 was collected. With these funds, more than 31 hectares of mature forests were bought out in the Pakruojis, Trakai, and Varėna districts.
The campaign organisers point out that a mere 1.2% of Lithuanian forests are protected from logging, and the average age of the country's forests is only 54 years. Forests that are still young are being logged, and the ecosystems formed within them do not have the opportunity to live out their full life cycle, which is necessary for thousands of species not only to survive but to flourish.
Why are we contributing to Miškobank?
As green spaces are shrinking, it is important to protect nature both within cities and beyond them. Therefore, it makes sense for us to contribute to the Miškobank old-growth forest preservation project and support initiatives that help create a better environment for future generations.
"We contribute to the creation of more sustainable and better cities for people, but care for nature must not end at the city limits. With shrinking green spaces, we must protect nature both in cities and beyond them. Therefore, we joined the Miškobank old-growth forest preservation project and believe that responsible decisions today help to create a better environment for future generations," says Gustas Germanavičius, the founder of InRento.
The idea of Miškobank is also interesting because it presents an ecological initiative through the prism of investing and saving for the future. The campaign's strategy is based on the idea that old-growth forests are an investment from which everyone receives a return.
"Against the backdrop of the second-pillar reform, thousands of people have rethought how to save for the future. With Miškobank, we offer a unique alternative – to save not only for yourself, but also for our nature, and to ensure that it will survive until your old age," says Gediminas Užkuraitis, the head of Synthesis CG.
Actor Kęstutis Cicėnas, who became its main ambassador and "forest banker", as well as other well-known Lithuanian figures, also contribute to the campaign: Vaiva Rykštaitė, Tomas Narkevičius ("Free Finga"), Neringa Rekašiūtė, Lukas Keraitis, and Marius Čepulis. The initiative is also complemented by the Lithuanian brand "labàdienà", presenting a limited-edition collection.
How can you contribute?
You can learn more about Miškobank, the forests selected by biologists, and different ways to support them on the official campaign website. It also provides information about the rarest forest "clients", the natural capital strategy, and the value that truly grows.
