Canadian-owned and Canadian-grown: why we plant forests here at home
As tariff chaos and the U.S.-instigated trade war continue, Canadians are resolutely and wisely spending their dollars at home. “Buy Canadian” serves as a rallying cry alongside “elbows up”, and the fiery commitment from Canadians is not slowing down. Even before the current tensions with our closest neighbour, at Canada’s Forest Trust Corporation we have been proud to “plant Canadian” entirely with native species of trees, when many of our counterparts plant forests in other countries. We have always been Canadian-owned and Canadian-grown, and we’re proudly reflecting on these homegrown roots.
Today, on International Day of Forests, we want to share why it has always been important to Canada’s Forest Trust Corporation to grow forests in Canada – and why it is more important than ever. Growing forests at home can make one small contribution to a grand effort of nation building, long-term economic strength, and our national identity as a country that prides itself on care for nature and large expanses of forest.
It is well-known that forests provide a host of benefits to human beings, including cleaning the air we breathe, filtering the water we drink, and boosting our mental health. Environmentally, trees provide shelter for 80% of terrestrial biodiversity, and they sequester carbon, playing a pivotal role in combating climate change. From a business perspective, planting forests and supporting these powerhouse natural climate solutions can help companies reach their environmental goals. Planting forests in organizations like youth groups and school clubs can help foster a sense of environmental responsibility and deepen community ties.
Trees are also integral to economic security and national identity in Canada. As Dan Kraus once wrote, “Forests define our Canadian geography and identity. One-third of our country is covered with trees, and forests occur in every province and territory. Jobs in forestry employ more than 200,000 Canadians and support many Indigenous and northern communities.” Today, nearly one million Indigenous people live in or close to forested areas and the forest sector employs over 11,000 Indigenous people, as of 2021. Over one-third of Canada’s population live in or close to forests, and the forest industry is a key source of employment and income in about 300 Canadian communities.
The relationship between people in Canada and trees is not one-way, though it is reciprocal. In addition to receiving income and services from forests, like clean air and water, we have a duty to give back to forests. This means protecting those that are standing, as well as planting new trees and caring for them over the long term.
That is what we do at Canada’s Forest Trust Corporation: we support the planting of native species forests in places like Alberta, British Columbia, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Ontario, and Saskatchewan, with plans to nurture forests across the country. We call these Smart Forests, because our researchers, advisors, investors, and environmental champions use expertise and digital tools to complement the forests’ innate wisdom by analyzing data and tracking the forest’s ability to create clean air,purify water, and enhance biodiversity. We don’t just plant trees: we work with key partners to monitor forest health, and make data available to customers who steward forests with us.
If you can’t tell, we are very proud of our forests, and the partnerships that bring them to life. We recently announced a partnership with Forests Canada, through which our two national organizations will team up to plant trees from coast to coast. Together, we will plant 250,000 trees this year. This will contribute to our projections of planting 30 million trees over the next five years, and builds on the more than two million trees that we have already planted and monitored in partnership with clients, local communities, and Indigenous partners. We also recently announced Cool Climate Club, a creative, youth-focused brand that opens up yet another way to plant trees here at home.
This International Day of Forests, the ground may be rockier than normal because of ongoing geopolitical and economic uncertainty. One way to help steady the ground is planting trees and stewarding forests – a powerful statement as well as a way to keep dollars in Canada and trees in our soil. Our resolve is deepened, and we are more committed than ever before to planting native species of trees here in Canada, and working with our nation’s businesses to increase their impact and put their dollars into the Canadian economy.
