Ottawa, ON — The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) is proud to support Tree Ottawa’s goal to plant One Million Trees as a gift from the residents of Ottawa to all Canadians to celebrate Canada’s 150th anniversary in 2017. The first tree is being planted near a 150-year-old oak tree at Tree Ottawa’s launch in Champlain Park.
“Tree Ottawa is strengthening connections between healthy forests and the sustainable communities we all want to live in. Planting trees in Ottawa is even more urgent in the wake of the emerald ash borer infestation. There is no better time than now to rejuvenate Ottawa’s urban forests and grow a better place for all of us to live,” said Kathy Abusow, President and CEO of SFI Inc.
SFI Inc. is an independent, nonprofit organization that is solely responsible for maintaining, overseeing and improving the internationally recognized Sustainable Forestry Initiative program. A key component of the program includes measures to mitigate the effect of pests like the emerald ash borer.
Another shared focus of SFI and Tree Canada is engaging youth. Scouts Canada is a partner for both organizations. SFI also works with Girl Guides of Canada on a variety of outdoor education and conservation programs. Recently, SFI funded Tree Canada’s new tree identification booklet for youth and adults across Canada.
“We are pleased to include SFI as a Tree Ottawa Collaborator. Being part of the SFI community means we can leverage their networks and expertise. Together, we can work to encourage communities to support tree planting and ensure the health of Ottawa’s future forests for generations to come,” said Velta Tomsons, Tree Ottawa Organizer.
SFI stands at the intersection of sustainable forests and sustainable communities. SFI believes the future of our forests depends on strengthening connections between healthy forests, sustainable communities and responsible purchasing. The SFI Standard is used widely across North America and has strong acceptance in the global marketplace because of its ability to promote sustainable forest management by protecting water quality, biodiversity, wildlife habitat and species at risk.
“We are excited to be part of promoting a greener future forest for the Nation’s Capital.Trees make our neighbourhood’s livable and our our cities beautiful. They screen wind and noise and their shade reduces our demand for energy. Tree Ottawa’s plan to plant a million trees in Ottawa is something all of us who live here should get behind,” Abusow said.
ABOUT SFI
The Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI) advances sustainability through forest-focused collaborations. We are an independent, nonprofit organization that leverages four interconnected pillars of work: standards, conservation, community, and education. SFI works with the forest sector, conservation groups, academics, researchers, brand owners, resource professionals, landowners, educators, local communities, Indigenous Peoples, and governments. Collaborating with our network, we leverage SFI-certified forests and products as powerful tools to help solve sustainability challenges such as climate action, conservation of biodiversity, education of future generations, and sustainable economic development.
MEDIA CONTACT
Christine Leduc
VP, Communications and Government Relations
Sustainable Forestry Initiative
613-706-1114
media@forests.org
About Tree Ottawa
Tree Ottawa is an initiative from Ecology Ottawa — a not-for-profit, grassroots and volunteerdriven organization, working to make Ottawa the green capital of Canada. Tree Ottawa is a community centred initiative for the Nation’s Capital to dramatically increase the scale and ecological diversity of the urban and rural tree canopy in Ottawa. Tree Ottawa is building a greener community by engaging residents, private companies and public organizations in active efforts to protect, plant and celebrate trees in neighbourhoods and green spaces. Learn more at www.ecologyottawa.ca
Media Contact
Velta Tomsons
613-286-5883
velta.tomsons@ecologyottawa.ca
