Hyderabad, March 9 (HS): In an initiative aimed at promoting environmental sustainability through sports, Hockey India has partnered with Adoptrees as its Eco-Sustainability Partner to undertake a large-scale tree plantation drive during the Women’s Hockey World Cup Qualifiers 2026 being held in Hyderabad.

Under the initiative, every key moment in the matches will translate into tree plantations. Organisers said 50 trees will be planted for every penalty corner, while 100 trees will be planted for each goal scored during the tournament.

The plantation drive will be carried out across Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland and Telangana, covering diverse ecological zones of the country.

The project is being implemented in phases, with plantation activity already initiated in Nagaland as part of the first phase. The next phase will be carried out in Arunachal Pradesh, while preparatory work including slotting and drainage development is underway in Telangana ahead of the plantation activity in the state.

On the opening day of the tournament, which featured four matches, the initiative registered an encouraging start, with Adoptrees committing to plant 3,250 trees based on match statistics.

The plantation activities linked to the tournament will continue throughout the event, scheduled from March 8 to March 14.

The initiative also aligns with the International Hockey Federation’s “Giving Back to Forests” programme, reflecting the sport’s commitment towards environmental restoration and climate responsibility.

Officials said the plantations will be closely monitored to ensure a high survival rate, with well-grown saplings aged between one and two years being planted to enhance ecological impact.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Indrani Sarkar