The Hancock Timber Resource Group is celebrating the planting of its one billionth tree since the organization’s founding in 1985. Source: PR News Wire
The Boston-based timberland investment management organization recently celebrated the milestone with a group of conservation stakeholders at an event in California at the McCloud Forest, one of the company’s longest held properties.
Mr Keefer noted that the one billion seedlings, a US$1.1 billion investment, has been planted on the properties it manages in the United States, Canada, South America, New Zealand and Australia.
These trees will provide enough wood to build more than 2 million homes and will store over their lifetime more than 730 million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions.
All of Hancock Timber’s lands in North America, South America, Australia and New Zealand are certified by third-party auditors as sustainably managed, primarily through the Sustainable Forestry Initiative program and Forest Stewardship Council.
“It is an honor to be leading our organization as we recognize this achievement, but what we truly celebrate today are the hundreds of Hancock Timber and Hancock Forest Management employees who have managed our forests since 1985.
Their hard work and commitment every day make our long held belief that ‘good stewardship is good business’ a reality,” said Bill Peressini, HNRG Chief Executive Officer.
“We also greatly appreciate our partnerships with conservation organizations. We look forward to working together to conserve working forests, which in turn will address critical issues including land use, water quality and climate change.”
“Sustainability is a core value of our organization. We plant roughly two trees for every tree we harvest, an average of more than two and a half million a month for the last 30 years,” said Brent Keefer, president of the Hancock Timber Resource Group.
“Even before we harvest, we have plans in place to replant. Most of us won’t be around to see those seedlings grow to maturity, but future generations will benefit from these forests.”
The one billionth tree planted in McCloud was dedicated to the company’s employees, stakeholders, business partners and future generations.
“Working forests are part of the essential green infrastructure of this country. They provide us with clean air to breathe, clean water to drink, habitat for wildlife, recreational opportunities and support more than 2 million jobs.
In addition, they are a critical part of our nation’s efforts to address climate change,” said Larry Selzer, President and Chief Executive Officer of The Conservation Fund.
“Hancock has been at the forefront of the sustainable management of our nation’s working forests for more than three decades, conserving sites with high conservation value, promoting forest certification, and reforesting timberlands after harvest. This is a tremendous milestone for the company and we are proud to partner with them.”
