The Etnies rainforest is alive

Last Friday, deep into northern Costa Rica, etnies’ team riders and brand leadership, the Maleku indigenous tribe, La Reserva Forest Foundation and hundreds of Costa Rican natives gathered on a patch of deforested land to celebrate the planting of the first 150 trees of the etnies Rainforest. The etnies Buy a Shoe, Plant a Tree program started out as a single idea to be a part of reforesting the Earth through sales of etnies’ Jameson 2 Eco shoes, and turned into a big, ceremonious project that united three groups to reach their common goal of planting trees–to sustain the future of the Maleku’s traditional way of life, restore a biological corridor and to help impact global climate change.

With shovels in hand, Pierre-André Senizergues (CEO and owner of etnies), Alfredo Acosta Blanco of the Maleku, Roberta Ward Smiley (co-founder of La Reserva) and etnies’ pro riders Ryan Sheckler, Kyle Leeper, Chris Del Moro, CJ Kanuha and Benji Weatherly, planted the first trees in what will become the etnies Rainforest on the Maleku reserve.

“The name etnies comes from the word tribe. For etnies to have the opportunity to unite with the passionate people of the Maleku tribe and La Reserva on this very important reforestation project is one of my proudest moments in etnies’ 25 year history,” said Pierre-André Senizergues. “I am incredibly honored to stand beside this amazing group today and not only make history, but to come together to change the future by making our world a better place to live in for years to come!”

With the worldwide support of the Buy a Shoe, Plant a Tree project, etnies is on track to continue planting 35,000 trees in the forest beyond Friday’s ceremony. Through this project and with the help from La Reserva Forest Foundation, a non-profit organization dedicated to the recovery and preservation of indigenous tropical rainforests in Costa Rica, the new forest will help the Maleku to replenish their reserve with the trees that once maintained their community before their land was destroyed by cattle farmers and a violent rubber-tree war that massacred many of their people.

For additional info, video and images on the etnies Buy a Shoe, Plant a Tree project http://www.etnies.com/buyashoeplantatree.