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UPM Raflatac supports "Rivers for Life" of WWF Poland

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UPM Raflatac supports "Rivers for Life" of WWF Poland

UPM Raflatac works with WWF Poland in the Rivers for Life project to improve the well-being of the country’s rivers and to raise awareness on the significance of the rivers to Poland’s nature. What has been achieved so far in this collaboration that will go at least until 2018?

UPM's Stakeholder Magazine Biofore (edition 5 January 2017) informs about the progress and says the collaboration had manifested itself in many ways: scientific research, restorative construction work and publishing. A mobile game is currently being developed too. UPM Raflatac’s Wrocław and Nowa Wieś label stock factories are located in the Oder River Valley in Poland.

The collaboration between UPM Raflatac and WWF Poland started with UPM Raflatac’s Poland Sales Director Przemysław Różycki. Różycki had donated money to a WWF Poland project that supported the revitalizing of the country’s wolf population, approached WWF and asked them to come up with a suggestion for a cooperation project for UPM Raflatac. In 2012 UPM Raflatac committed to two years and continued the cooperation by another two years in 2014. In early 2016 the cooperation was extended till 2018.

During the first year UPM Raflatac’s support helped WWF study the hydromorphology of the Oder River. Brochures and a book on the preservation of the rivers were produced together. In addition, some of the dams on the Oder River were adapted to allow migratory fish to pass.

UPM Raflatac’s support has enabled WWF to conduct a wider study of the hydromorphology of the Polish rivers. The information gathered is crucial in influencing the policy-makers in Poland and in Europe. 

UPM Raflatac and WWF Poland actively campaign for the rivers’ well-being on social media and UPM Raflatac has presented the Rivers for Life project to many of their customers in Poland. Engaging employees has been a part of the project from the very beginning, too.

The project partners are convinced that local communities need to be actively engaged in making the change, and making it last. So currently the project is looking to establish a network of volunteers to protect the rivers.