Microgaming has had its headquarters on the Isle of Man for the past 20 years and the international iGaming giant has chosen to look to the future of its local ecosystem with a tree-planting initiative as part of its employee-powered PlayItForward CSR programme.
The project got off the ground on October 8 and 9 when 80 of the company’s volunteers headed to the parish of Rushen to join up with the Manx Wildlife Trust and plant saplings at a prepared site. Over and above this initial planting, Microgaming has donated a further 1500 saplings to the project.
The company has cleverly named the area the “microforest”, and it will be the home to various native tree species like birch aspen, native oak, hawthorn, and wild roses.
Growing Green
The tree planting is the beginning of Microgaming’s promise to transform itself into a sustainable and environmentally responsible entity. The new project will, in around 70 years, yield a fully grown, lush forest that will add to the island’s ecosystem. Not much ongoing maintenance will be required for the site and it will grow naturally, creating natural habitats for the area’s wildlife. The Rushen Fire Station showed up to help irrigate the land, pouring 5000 litres of water into the thirsty ground which has not seen any rainfall in recent weeks
The volunteers were generously provided parking space by the Southern Nomads RUFC, whose pitch is located nearby to the new forest.
Decades of Dedication
Microgaming’s CEO, John Coleman, thanked the volunteers for their hard work, saying,
“As we come to the end of our 20-year celebrations, I’m proud that Microgaming can support a project that will benefit our island for many more decades. Huge thanks to everyone who mucked in to bring the microforest to life, together you have helped plant a legacy that will last for years to come.”
The Conservation Officer for Manx Wildlife Trust, Andree Dubbeldam, expressed joy at the project taking shape, adding,
“The new microforest is the first piece of a massive nature jigsaw that will take shape on land owned by Rushen and Arbory Commissioners over the coming years. The microforest’s location close to Port Erin and Port St Mary means that it will not only bring wildlife into a suburban area, but it will also attract people out into nature, delivering the associated physical and mental health benefits. Children and adults alike will be able to enjoy the space for centuries.”
