OTTAWA, March 09, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Canada's Forest Trust Corporation (CFT), a leading and innovative ESG company that leverages natural solutions to tackle climate change, has secured several key partners in its bid to build thousands of forests in Canada. The company is combining proven techniques together with its learning from Indigenous Knowledge Keepers and innovative forest management tools to maximize its effectiveness and move Canada closer to net-zero.
"As CFT expands its forest footprint across Canada, these partnerships will be essential to our success given the volume and variety we plan to plant," said Gary Zed, CEO, Canada's Forest Trust. "A great deal of planning goes into growing healthy Smart Forests™ which not only optimize carbon sequestration but offer economic, social and other environmental benefits."
"Sustainability is at the heart of what we do, and we look forward to counting CFT's reforestation efforts among the 5 billion trees our team has grown to date," says Rob Miller, Chief Executive Officer, PRT. "We are proud to partner with CFT to build Canadian forests that are climate-adaptable, resilient, and diverse."
Brinkman Reforestation, Canada's largest tree planting company, already responsible for planting over 1.5 billion trees, will supply and manage the professional labour force needed to reforest the land. "There has never been a more important time to be building forests. With 50 years and billions of trees planted, Brinkman is ready to partner with CFT to bring its ambitious plans to fruition," says Judi Tetro, COO, Brinkman Reforestation Ltd.
And world-leading technology, from Canadian software company Remsoft, will be used to optimize resources and asset management of CFT's Smart Forests. "Remsoft's data-driven forest intelligence software will help CFT plan and make effective decisions, track progress, and recalibrate as necessary to ensure the long-term health of every Smart Forest," says Andrea Feunekes, CEO, Remsoft.
Since its inception, CFT has been working to ensure that Indigenous land knowledge is applied to its forest building initiatives. Utilizing traditional ecological knowledge, Indigenous oversight, Indigenous supply chains and workforce in collaboration with our partners is paramount. "This knowledge is key to ensuring that our forests are planted and protected properly," says JP Gladu, Chair, CFT Board of Directors and former CEO, Canadian Council for Aboriginal Business. "CFT's commitment to building relationships with Indigenous communities will help to strengthen the Indigenous economy and at the same time, combat climate change with the most natural solution to global warming: forests."
About Canada's Forest Trust
Founded by businessman and philanthropist Gary Zed, CFT offers all Canadians the opportunity to reduce their climate impact through forest building:
- Customized ESG programs allow businesses of all sizes to meet their obligations to shareholders, customers, and employees.
- A nationwide school program including engagement and educational tools designed to combat climate change and resources to support youth as they grapple with climate anxiety. The program also offers paid internships, summer jobs, and scholarships to encourage young people to consider forestry and other nature-based careers.
- Impact investing opportunities for families and individuals.
Over the past two years, CFT has built its programs and proprietary tools based on focus group testing with business leaders, school administrators, youth and industry experts including foresters, climatologists, and economists. It looks forward to its collaboration with the Ferguson Forest Centre Corporation (FFCC), which provides oversight of the Ferguson Tree Nursery.
"The Ferguson Tree Nursery is a unique facility that grows millions of seedlings but will also serve as a Centre of Excellence for CFT's initiatives. Its Future Forester Program will shine a bright spotlight on post-secondary studies in the field of forestry and the wide diversity of rewarding job opportunities in the forestry profession. We are excited to co-develop with CFT a program that scales our infrastructure and is a place where youth can come together and get their hands in the soil and their feet on the ground," said Carl Doucette, President Ferguson Forest Centre Corporation.
-30-
Canada's Forest Trust (CFT) is a leading ESG company that offers a nature-based solution to getting to net-zero by building Smart Forests™. With our proprietary tools and in collaboration with Forest Stewards (businesses, schools, organizations, communities, and individuals), CFT is on a path to procure, prepare, plant, preserve and protect millions of acres of forests around the world. CFT will sequester tens of millions of tonnes of carbon. Our Forever Forest Guarantee ensures that every forest built by CFT undergoes expert management and monitoring and will never be clear-cut. Smart Forests sequester CO2, rehabilitate ecosystems, learn from Indigenous land knowledge keepers, and boost the green economy. Smart Forests are smart investments. Canada's Forest Trust Website
Media Inquiries:
Taylor Piotrowski
Manager, Marketing and Communications
Email: Taylor.Piotrowski@canadasforesttrust.ca
Mobile: 905 717 2403
