LINCOLN, Neb. (KOLN) -The Arbor Day Foundation calls Lincoln its home, but its impact extends outside Nebraska’s borders. Nebraska is known for its rolling plains and grasses and a Nebraska nonprofit is working hard growing forests all across the world.
Fifty years, over 135 projects in more than 30 states and 25 countries, with around 1.2 million trees planted in a single project.
“This is what we do,” said Bradley Brandt, senior program manager at the Arbor Day Foundation.
The Arbor Day Foundation has been busy.
“Unfortunately there has been a lot of work to do the last couple of decades,” Brandt said.
The Bootleg Fire in Oregon sparked a little over a year ago and caused damage to over 400,000 acres. A lightning strike caused a massive wildfire.
Green Diamond, a forest products company, asked the foundation to help fundraise and replant. It was a new partnership, but the story is similar to other restorations.
“These are high intensity fires that take out the seed source,” Brandt said. “When the fires burns so hot, there is no seed source for a future forest. so we have to come in with our partners and help fund the restoration.”
If replanting didn’t happen, soil erosion would take place and animals could lose their habitat.
“We are here to help,” Brandt said. “We are good at fire restoration and telling that story.”
Though the numbers and work they’ve done
Though they’ve done a lot of work, there’s still more to do.
“These projects are like a target where you start on the outside and move in,” Brandt said.
The foundation is currently in negotiation with Green Diamond for a second year of restoration in Oregon and they hope to plant more than 3 million trees.
Copyright 2022 KOLN. All rights reserved.
