As consumers, every purchase that we make is an opportunity to change the world a little for the better. We hold the power for change.
The same applies to producers and manufacturers: every improvement that we can make along the chain, from sourcing sustainably-harvested wood to reducing waste from our workshop, can go a long way towards making a measurable difference.
Backstory: How We Got Here
Union Wood Co is committed to making better choices to reduce our environmental footprint, as well as giving back to our larger community. Considering forests are a critical part of the solution to the climate crisis, and natural wood is our company’s core raw material for our furniture, forest management seemed the perfect place to start.
There are a lot of great forest initiatives out there, but it’s crucial to us to support an organization close to home (especially since Canada is one of the world’s biggest participants in the forestry industry).
Enter the Blue Green Planet Partners, an organization based in a British Columbia forest industry town just about 1,000 km (or 700 miles) from our workshop. Their mission, values, and approach immediately drew us in.
About the Blue Green Planet Project
Blue Green Planet Project (BGPP) is a Canadian sustainability initiative that works with businesses and individuals to plant trees for wildfire restoration and long-term carbon sequestration. [“Carbon sequestration” is the process of capturing, securing, and storing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.]
Founded by tree planters, they chose to use their networks to develop projects and mobilize resources in order to plant areas that would not otherwise be planted.
Their Approach
BGPP’s efforts are focussed on planting native “incremental” trees in areas of Canada most affected by climate change. These are forests ravaged by wildfire or pest infestations that won’t regenerate naturally and there are no plans for replanting these devastated regions.
By actively reforesting they’re speeding up the recovery process, building climate-resilient forests, assisting carbon removal, and helping restore biodiversity.
The trees are planted by professional foresters to the highest quality. All projects are verified and reported on by a third party at year’s end with an audit confirming that the trees were planted and will survive to grow into strong, healthy forests.
Last but certainly not least, BGPP collaborates with Indigenous communities - those most connected with the landscape - to reforest Indigenous land while providing training and job opportunities.
For example, in 2022 they worked with 12 members of Opaskwayak Cree Nation to plant 114,170 seedlings in 70 hectares of Manitoban boreal forest that was devastated by 2021 wildfires. Take a look at BGPP’s list of current projects and locations.
Taking Action
Grateful to be crafting furniture out of a renewable resource like wood, the team at Union Wood Co has decided to partner with BGPP to fund tree planting. Many of us have recently witnessed or felt the impact of devastating forest fires in BC and it’s time to get involved!
We’ll be supporting their efforts by planting a forest with a lump sum contribution and spreading the word about their incredible work. It costs $1.25 to plant a tree and 1,000+ trees to plant a forest.
When we make our contribution, we’ll post the total on our website and in social media. Union Wood Co is thrilled to launch this program and invites you to check out the Blue Green Plant Project website to learn how you can get involved NOW: plant a tree or support a project.
Why Should You Care?
Beyond being able to make an impact in the fight against climate change, here are some additional reasons to care about BGPP and their work:
- Trees are “one of the world’s oldest and most proven technologies for healing the planet. They draw down carbon, help moderate temperatures, improve watershed from runoff and heavy rain, and provide habitat for countless species of plants and animals.” (source)
- This initiative is revolutionizing the way stakeholders (like businesses, forest industry, consumers) unite in the fight against climate change—they bring like-minded groups together with a tangible solution to take climate change action.
- BGPP recognizes the value of kindred land and ocean ecosystems and gives 20% of their net profits to the Rob Stewart Sharkwater Foundation to fund ocean ecology projects.
- Help Canadian forests recover to keep Canada green!