Het Bos van Oss – Growing together

With almost the entire construction of Heesen’s yachts taking place in Oss, employing mostly local craftsmen and suppliers, the shipyard is firmly rooted in the local community. To support local social and sustainability goals, Heesen has committed to planting a 50-acre woodland that unites the community.

Heesen is one of eleven pioneers supporting the local initiative ‘Het Bos van Oss’, The Forest of Oss. The seed for this idea was planted by the Verhoeven Family of Companies, which like Heesen is based in Oss, has an international outlook, and is committed to sustainability. Widespread support for the project among local entrepreneurs led to the establishment of an independent foundation. Chairman René van Ass says, “The project aims for a greener, more sustainable, and biodiverse local living environment, but also has a strong social goal to bring people together and collaborate in a joint mission. That’s how the Forest came to be. The municipality of Oss supported us and pledged to provide land for the Forest: a total of 50 acres. Local companies finance the planting of the trees, with about 1,600 trees per acre. It’s a significant challenge to find so much land in a densely populated urban area, especially because the Forest needs to be close to the residents. Once the Forest is established, it will be handed over to the municipality and the residents, so it’s crucial that it’s easily accessible and truly becomes part of the new Oss. The municipality has already designated eight locations where the Forest will be planted in phases, with the first acres set to be realized soon.”

“ The Forest has become a symbol of what a community can achieve when we join forces”

Community collaboration
The Forest contributes to three Sustainable Development Goals: reducing CO2 emissions, combating deforestation, and collaborating on goals. Bringing together different target groups is a crucial function, as Van Ass explains: “Businesses, the municipality, residents, education, interest groups, and service clubs – almost the entire community is working on making it a success. For example, one of the schools is collaborating on creating an Education Forest; a part of the Forest where future generations of Oss residents learn the value of nature, biodi- versity, and sustainable behaviour. This knowledge is also shared in the form of a beautifully illustrated book provided free to young people. By actively involving all parts of the society of Oss, the Forest becomes more than just a piece of nature. It has become a symbol of what a community can achieve when we join forces.”