Wild + Pine Breaks Ground on the Largest Afforestation Project in Western Canada to Benefit Climate and Biodiversity
22 May 2024 - 5:43PM
Wild + Pine, a Certified B Corporation that develops verified
nature-based carbon removal assets, has announced today the
groundbreaking for the third phase of StoneWoods Forest Carbon
Project (StoneWoods) - the largest afforestation project in Western
Canada. The project targets the restoration of 3,700 acres of land
to benefit biodiversity, enhance wildlife connectivity, and remove
carbon from the atmosphere. Wild + Pine’s work to scale
nature-based carbon removal assets in StoneWoods is supported by
partnerships with companies including Aviva plc, TELUS, Edmonton
International Airport (YEG), Parkland Corporation and HCMA.
Since StoneWoods’ launch in 2022, Wild + Pine has restored 1,500
acres (600 hectares) of degraded land across 11 sites in Alberta.
With this groundbreaking, announced on the International Day for
Biological Diversity, Wild + Pine is targeting an additional 2,230
acres (990 hectares) to extend the restored land to 3,700 acres.
Wild + Pine restores land holistically, taking an ecosystem-based
approach. It doesn’t simply plant trees or provide offsets - it
grows forests and provides corporations with long-term investment
opportunities in natural assets that support carbon and
biodiversity goals.
“We are grateful for the support of our partners. We can’t
tackle climate change without collaboration and we couldn’t achieve
the magnitude of what we want to achieve with StoneWoods without
the support of forward-looking climate and sustainability leaders.
Our partners recognize the power that Canadian forests can deliver
to a balanced carbon removal portfolio,” said Chris Kallal, CEO of
Wild + Pine.
StoneWoods is located in Central Alberta, where the Aspen
Parkland transitions into the Central and Dry Mixedwood ecoregions
of the Boreal Forest. This land contains some of the most
productive and extensive waterfowl breeding habitats in North
America. The area is essential for the survival of diverse species
such as the piping plover, western grebe, and burrowing owl. It is
also home to over 300 bird species and iconic Canadian wildlife
like the woodland caribou, Canada lynx, black bear and moose.
The restored area previously suffered fragmentation and
degradation due to industrial development and human activity. The
land StoneWoods is on is one of the most altered ecoregions in
Alberta and affected regions in Canada, with less than 20% of its
natural coverage remaining, and it is one of the most critically
endangered forest areas in the western hemisphere. Through Wild +
Pine’s partnerships and work on StoneWoods, vital wildlife habitat
can be restored, making a significant impact on biodiversity,
climate, and local communities.
Fieldwork for StoneWoods will take place over the next several
months and into the fall. Corporations can still register to be a
partner of StoneWoods to create multigenerational, high-integrity
carbon removal assets to de-risk their portfolio while driving
meaningful change. Learn more here: https://bit.ly/3K2WCkp
About Wild + Pine:Wild + Pine is an architect
of multigenerational Canadian forest projects, and the innovator
behind establishing large-scale afforestation carbon removals in
Western Canada. By harnessing advanced technologies, rigorous
scientific methodology and forestry expertise, Wild + Pine is
building truly additional carbon removal assets, providing an
opportunity for sustainability leaders to invest in forest
restoration projects that leave a long-lasting legacy. Founded in
2011 by a Professional Forester and now led by a group of
environmental professionals, Wild + Pine has helped restore,
manage, and maintain thousands of acres of land for some of
Canada’s largest organizations. As a Certified B Corp, Wild + Pine
is committed to seeding restoration projects that are always in
service to our climate, biodiversity, and the environment.
Learn more at: https://wildandpine.ca/, or connect with us on
Instagram (@Wildandpineab), X (@Wild + Pine) or on LinkedIn (Wild +
Pine).
For further
information:Alicia
Arrudawildpine@yulupr.com, 778-846-8460