The Uruguayan Hockey Federation supports the strategy of FIH that was announced in attendance of the IOC President Thomas Bach at the Olympic House on 6th June 2023.

HOCKEY NEEDS TO GIVE BACK TO FOREST, so UHF confirmed its firm commitment for sustainability, and started this programme by planting thousands of trees around the first water-based pitch in Uruguay.

To protect the enivronment the UHF started foresting its own venue at a lovely place in front of the beach of the capital city of Montevideo.

Firstly, during the Nations Cup that was played In Uruguay, the national teams of Chile, Gales and Uruguay planted the first line of trees.

Later, all our hockey teams participated in this planting process where more than 600 trees were planted by players, coaches, umpires and board members. All the members of the hockey family attended this important work of sustainability. Everyone was invited to reflect on conserving the environment for a better planet.

“Give back to forest”, since hockey was played with wooden sticks for decades, the Uruguayan hockey community feels the importance to compensate for the trees cut for the production of these sticks by planting new trees.

The uruguayan hockey community wanted to make a contribution for fighting climate change which affects us all and concluded that we can only make a difference if we are all together.

Trees and forests are often referred to as "the lungs of the planet" for a very simple reason: they produce oxygen. It is estimated that 0.4 hectares of trees can provide the oxygen levels required for 12 people for a year.

In addition to absorbing CO2, trees also absorb harmful gases and pollutants such as sulfur dioxide, ozone, ammonia, carbon monoxide, and oxides of nitrogen.

Trees can live for hundreds of years, so when you plant one, you are making a very special gift to your children and grandchildren. It is a symbol of our commitment to the environment and the beauty of the world around us that will live beyond our own lifetime.

Uruguay hockey worked very hard by planting all this trees, and we are sure this will help to conserve biodiversity and also serve as windbreaks to protect our water irrigation of the pitch. This will also help to educate about climate action, promote sustainable and responsible consumption, and help to regulate temperature of our players and spectators is one of our wills.