10,000 Trees Planted to Mark Environment Week
June 09, 2023
Quotables:
- To celebrate Canadian Environment Week (June 4 to 10), a team of our employees came together to roll up their sleeves and plant 10,000 trees.
- The first 10,000 trees planted is part of a pilot to assess the feasibility of future SaskPower-led planting projects. In year 2, the goal is to plant 20,000 more and in year 3, 30,000 more.
- This is just one of the ways we're working to protect and preserve our environment while helping to offsetting carbon emissions.
At SaskPower, we know that what we do today impacts our future. We’re working hard to reduce our impact and protect the environment. To celebrate Canadian Environment Week (June 4 to 10), a team of our employees came together to roll up their sleeves and plant trees.
A group of volunteers from our Environment and Sustainability Department planted 10,000 trees this week on our property near the Boundary Dam Power Station in Estevan. The seedlings were grown at our Shand Greenhouse.
The first 10,000 trees planted is part of a pilot to assess the feasibility of future SaskPower-led planting projects. In year 2, the goal is to plant 20,000 more and in year 3, 30,000 more.
This is just one of the ways we're working to protect and preserve our environment while offsetting carbon emissions.
“SaskPower’s Shand Greenhouse has grown and distributed over 14 million seedlings to date. We look forward to continuing to distribute seedlings and explore planting projects like this one,” said Nathan Mansuy, Director, Environment and Sustainability. “Being able to bring the Environment and Sustainability team together to plant seedlings grown at SaskPower’s Shand Greenhouse, on SaskPower property, and during Canada’s Environment Week is something special.”
Another interesting aspect with this project occurred when the Prairie Christmas Tree Grower Association of Saskatchewan reached out. The association was looking to partner with the Shand Greenhouse to collect conifer seed from their trees. This seed is generally very expensive and hard to source, so it was an opportunity the Greenhouse couldn’t pass up.
SaskPower helped harvest the seed, with half given to us as a thank you. The seed went to the Shand Greenhouse where it was planted and grown into seedlings. While the seedlings weren’t quite ready for the first planting, they’ll be included in the second year of the project.
“SaskPower has a company owned greenhouse and available, suitable property to plant trees. It makes sense for us to explore the feasibility of SaskPower-led tree planting projects as a natural way to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere,” said Kayla Klassen, Manager, Environmental Performance and Reporting.
“This project is important because it highlights SaskPower’s commitment to the environment while offsetting a portion of our greenhouse gas emissions. It was also a great way for our employees to give back and give some of their time to preserve the land around us.”
Kristopher Murray, Senior Analyst, Environmental Performance and Reporting, organized the project. “We were able to collaborate with many different groups at SaskPower that were more than willing to help out to make sure it is a success. Not only does this project benefit the environment, but it also demonstrates SaskPower's dedication to sustainability and commitment to a clearer future.”
“I think years from now when the trees have begun to grow, we will look back and be very proud of what we did.”
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