Ingka buys land to plant forests

Ingka Group, the owner of most IKEA furniture stores worldwide, has bought more land in the United States as part of a long-term commitment to responsible forest management, it said on Thursday.

The group will plant seedlings of mainly longleaf pine on the 1,321 hectares (3,264 acres) of land in Florida.

Longleaf pine is relatively resilient to the effects of climate change including resistance to forest fires, and supports habitat for endangered plants and animals.

“The new forests will support increased biodiversity, help ensure sustainable timber production from responsibly managed forests, and recover land damaged by Hurricane Michael in October 2018,” the group said.

The group has been investing in recent years in forest land and with the new addition, it owns around 250,000 hectares in the United States, New Zealand and Europe.