Dunamu holds forest tending campaign on metaverse platform

By Yoon Ja-young

The country's leading blockchain and cryptocurrency exchange operator Dunamu is holding a virtual conservation campaign on its metaverse platform 2nd Block.

A promotional poster for a forest care campaign held on metaverse platform 2nd Block / Courtesy of Dunamu

According to Dunamu, the “forest tending campaign with 2nd Forest,” enables participants to take care of a virtual forest. The campaign, open to anyone through the metaverse, aims at promoting how to properly take care of forests to tackle climate disasters such as wildfires. The campaign is being held on Dunamu's metaverse platform 2nd Block from Nov. 7 to 11.

It follows the cryptocurrency exchange operator's campaign in March, where participants were encouraged to have trees in the 2nd Forest, the virtual forest established within 2nd Block. Back then, participants planted 10,260 virtual trees in the metaverse, and the same number of trees were planted in the real world ― in an area in North Gyeongsang Province, which had been devastated by wildfire. The forest tending activities in the virtual world will also be linked with real-world forest restoration, scheduled to take place in North Chungchueong Province by the Korea Forest Service.

Participants will be offered diverse educational materials which will enhance their knowledge of carbon neutrality. For example, small trees need pruning, and people can also engage themselves in other activities to protect different species of trees and biodiversity for the ecosystem in the forest.

To participate in the campaign, anyone can enter 2nd Forest, the virtual forest established in 2nd Block. They will study educational materials offered there and solve quizzes, thereby winning stamps. Those who collect a total of eight stamps and apply for the special event during the campaign will be given presents through a lucky draw. A total of 3,500 will get an incense holder, which was made by upcycling trees, which were damaged by the wildfire in Goseong, Gangwon Province, while 500 will get non-fungible tokens (NFT) on rare plants. The initiative aims to set up a fund to protect rare plants that are in danger of extinction.

There will also be short events during lunchtimes, such as quizzes and a lucky draw. More detailed information on the events is available on the official website of 2nd Forest.

“It is a meaningful event since tending a forest in the virtual world leads to the care offered to forests in the real world,” an official at the Korea Forest Service said. “Taking care of forests is as important as planting trees. I hope more people will take interest in this to make our forest healthier and more valuable,” the official added.

“We plan to offer chances for more nature-loving people to participate in this contactless era. We will engage in diverse ESG projects to contribute to the environment and society, using Dunamu's technology and resources,” Dunamu CEO Lee Sirgoo said.

The word tree is one of the ESG keywords chosen by Dunamu. It has been focusing on environmental protection and restoration of forests, signing an MOU with the forest service back in February. It is planning diverse carbon-neutral projects such as applying blockchain technology in forest management, developing a healing program using VR/AR technology, and producing NFTs to fund the protection of rare species.