Plant a tree. Plant another tree. Plant 1,999,999,998 more. That is what Canada is planning to do in the name of fighting climate change. 2 Billion trees planted by 2030. The Canadian Forest Service estimates that by 2050, the 2 billion additional trees planted could reduce GHG emissions by up to 12 megatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO2e) annually – the equivalent of taking over 2 million gasoline-powered cars off the road each year. If that is not a big deal, I am not sure what is. Today we talk with representatives from The Canadian Forest Service(Government), Coast to Coast Reforestation (Nurseries), and Project Forest(Afforestation and Silviculture) to try and cover all the angles of this monumental task.
Resources
Anne-Hélène Mathey: https://sustain.forestry.ubc.ca/people/former-students/doctorates/dr-anne-helene-mathey/
Mike Toffan: https://projectforest.ca/team/mike-toffan/
Scott Formaniuk: https://treetimeservices.ca/about/our-team
Sponsors
West Fraser: https://www.westfraser.com/
GreenLink Forestry Inc.: http://greenlinkforestry.com/
Damaged Timber: https://www.damagedtimber.com/
Forest Proud: https://forestproud.org/
Giveaway
Enter YourForest10 at checkout at the Damaged Timber store for a 10% discount!
Quotes
20.56 - 21.01: “You don’t just plant any trees anywhere. You have to have the right tree, the right place.”
Takeaways
Forestry is the nexus of nature-based values (06.49)
Anne-Hélène is the Executive Director of the Natural Climate Solutions Division at Natural Resources Canada - Canadian Forest Service. She believes that trees in Canada are a resource that can be leveraged to advance nature-based objectives - climate change mitigation, adaptation, human wellbeing and biodiversity.
More forest faster (08.21)
Mike is the Executive Director of Project Forest, which, with the help of the 2 Billion Trees program, is working to rewild the landscape and community, one forest at a time. This initiative has also provided employment opportunities to many. Project Forest, headquartered in Edmonton, works with the Canadian business community towards sustainable development.
Afforestation, reforestation and revegetation (10.56)
Scott is a forester with Coast to Coast Reforestation Inc. and Tree Time Services. The former produces 60 million seedlings a year for reforestation and reclamation services, while the latter looks after the turnkey reforestation cycle, from collecting seeds to planting the trees, and is an applicant to the 2 Billion Trees program.
The progress in the numbers (13.25)
Anne-Hélène speaks about the government programs in place to generate nature-based climate solutions, one of which is the 2 Billion Trees program, and the all-around benefits of trees. 3.2 billion dollars have been allocated to this 10-year long program, which began in 2021. Over 30 million trees of 50 different species have been planted in 1 year across 500+ sites in Canada.
Right tree, right place, for the right reasons (19.34)
Anne-Hélène shares that tree planting is a challenging process. She envisions supply chain issues with seed collection, timing, and using species that can adapt to the location’s climate. Mike adds that using the right seed in the right zone is his guiding principle, and people need to be educated on this. Scott finds the time a sapling takes to grow, an important consideration.
Synchronization, timing, logistics (25.34)
Anne-Hélène discusses the option for multi-year contribution agreements in the program, wherein planting organizations become partners for a set number of years. This gives them financial assurance which then gives nurseries the ability to expand capacity. Having the right planting and nursery partners is essential to ramp up the supply chain, says Anne-Hélène.
Carbon sequestration, clean air, water, recreation and biodiversity (30.05)
Anne-Hélène would like to work in partnership with Indigenous groups, municipalities and private organizations. She estimates that with the successful execution of the program, 11-12 megatonnes per year of carbon will be removed from the atmosphere by 2050. However, trees must be planted on ecologically sound lands, keeping biodiversity benefits in mind.
The human benefit of planting trees (38.19)
Mike had always wanted for Project Forest to interact with the community and influence people in a life-changing way. In his experiences engaging the Indigenous communities, he has seen a “real, meaningful impact”. For those who have never planted a tree, doing so can be an enjoyably unique way to interact with nature. Scott has also observed this with corporate events.
“The more you do, the more you want to do it right” (44.42)
Anne-Hélène is motivated by the progress the program has made and is touched by the impact it has had on different communities. The need for more education about the program and leveraging it for opportunities within the communities is clear. Mike ran a ‘Submit Your Tree Story’ contest last year which revealed some significant impacts within the community.
Where do we plant? (49.33)
Anne-Hélène mentions that they are working with wildlife service partners towards ensuring there is a variety of planting sites on Crown land available that will be most beneficial to support habitats, resilient species and wildfire reduction. Mike and Anne-Hélène deliberate the considerations in working with the wildlife services in the provinces and territories.
Planting in partnership (56.44)
Scott highlights the importance of working with partners and forestry professionals to assess areas for planting based on the effects of burns. Anne-Hélène emphasizes the role partnerships play in the successful execution of this program. She explains the criteria for considering applicants to the program and how different applicants have different processes to plant.
Empowering nurseries to expand capacity (59.33)
Anne-Hélène speaks about training applicants who are not professional foresters and the infrastructure-style investments for nursery expansion. She outlines the early action expression of interest initiative as well as the request for information process. Scott points out that nurseries need an assurance of time frame to make investments into expanding.
Tree talk (1.07.11)
Anne-Hélène looks to those in the supply chain for feedback and to point the way forward for the next 9 years, addressing the climate and biodiversity challenges. She relies on monitoring and tracking the progress of the trees throughout their lifetime for the same. Scott believes that in the next 9 years, corporations will look at investing in this program to buy carbon credits.
The bigger picture (1.17.52)
Anne-Hélène laments that the program is restricted to the 10-year timeline; communication will be paramount to keep course-correcting through this time frame. Scott is of the opinion that it would be manageable if the land on which the trees are planted get harvested after the course of the program. Anne-Hélène discusses other programs that address ecosystem restoration.
It is a privilege to breathe clean air (1.29.37)
Mike shares that Project Forest donated and planted sweetgrass in Swan River First Nation. He read the book, Braiding Sweetgrass, which speaks about taking responsibility and applying one’s skillsets to give back to the planet. Being mindful of his privileges on earth informs his perspectives on land management.
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