OTTAWA, April 25, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canada’s Commissioner of the Environment and Sustainable Development Jerry DeMarco tabled a report in the House of Commons last week outlining the challenges of meeting the ambitious objectives for the 2 Billion Trees Program.
The report rightly points out that there can be no solution to fighting climate change and terrestrial biodiversity loss that does not involve forests.
Canada’s Forest Trust Corporation (CFT) understands the challenges of delivering tree planting programs on a massive scale; it is a huge undertaking. We are proud to be taking on this challenge and to be an innovative and growing part of Canada’s solution.
Unique approach, green jobs
CFT plans to plant 26 million trees between 2023 and 2025 through our comprehensive forestry approach that partners with Indigenous Peoples and communities, youth as the next generation of change-makers, and businesses across Canada. To accomplish this, we are scaling the number of seedlings planted yearly and securing long-term seedling and planting partnerships with some of the leading suppliers in North America.
As a leading social enterprise, CFT allows businesses, organizations, schools, individuals and families to invest in building a Smart Forest™ to capture their carbon emissions, promote the restoration and protection of biodiversity, and help meet our country's net-zero targets.
Entrepreneur Gary Zed launched CFT as a nature-based solution to capture carbon and address climate change. It’s a uniquely Canadian solution that creates thousands of green jobs, promotes Indigenous economic development, and creates pathways for long-term economic growth.
Gary is building CFT with one goal in mind, to become the Canadian climate change success story that will live on for generations to come.
"Private-sector collaboration is crucial to achieving our goal of planting 2 billion trees by 2030. But it's not just about planting trees; we must also ensure they thrive in the long run. Without ongoing maintenance and monitoring, our efforts will be in vain,” said Mr. Zed.
“At CFT, we take a holistic approach to forestry, from removing land from the harvest cycle to planting biodiverse forests and preserving them for future generations. Our commitment to sustainability is not just lip service; we work hand in hand with our Indigenous partners and advisors to implement the most effective forestry techniques. We're proud to lead by example, and our impact speaks for itself."
Using technologies and analytics to track progress
Using technologies and analytics, CFT takes a unique approach by accurately tracking the carbon footprint of our Stewards and measuring the impact that their Smart Forest will have on capturing their carbon emissions, restoring ecosystems to health, promoting the economy and more. An individualized dashboard enables each Steward to monitor their progress regularly and transparently report on success.
Learning from Indigenous Knowledge Keepers, CFT’s work is guided by the “seven generations" mindset to restore and maintain healthy, sustainable and biodiverse forests under a guarantee that they are protected and preserved in perpetuity for generations to come. This is accomplished through strategic planning and is backed by generations of forestry expertise and land knowledge shared by CFT’s diverse groups of advisors, partners and stakeholders.
We applaud the federal government’s ambitious goal of planting 2 billion trees by 2030 and continue supporting their targets.
With our plan to plant millions of seedlings over the next three years, CFT is pleased to offer Canadians the opportunity to get involved and do their part to reach our country’s reforestation goals.
To learn more about Canada’s Forest Trust Corporation, visit our website: https://www.canadasforesttrust.ca/ or contact: grow@canadasforesttrust.ca
