When a tree falls in a Northern Ontario forest, John Lawrence definitely hears it.
Within hours he and his employees are probably replacing it, starting the reforestation process all over again.
Lawrence, the chief operating officer of John Brinkman and Associates Reforestation Ltd., on Thursday celebrated the planting of the company’s 100th-million tree for Resolute Forest Products, calling it a significant milestone for both organizations.
“Two years ago we celebrated planting our millionth tree, so obviously this 100 million is a big component of what we’ve done as a company,” Lawrence said.
“A lot of the people in our organization have worked on this licence at some point, either planting or crew bossing or supervising process. So it’s quite a connection we have with this area and these licences.”
It’s all about providing for future generations and ensuring a sustainable industry, even one that has been devastated in Ontario over the past decade or more.
“Things change in the forest. You have fire, you have harvesting and you have pests. And there’s always a need to renew it. We’ve been at this since 1970 as a company. It’s kind of in our blood. We think we do it for a variety of reasons because it’s environmental, but also because we like the work and the times we have together,” said Brinkman, who’s been at it for three decades himself.
Roger Barber, Resolute’s general manager of forestry and fibre resources for Ontario, said the work their partner does in the forest is absolutely critical for his business.
“If we have these trees growing back in the future, it’s a sustainable resource and the work these guys do is really, really important.”
It can take several generations for seedlings to reach maturity, up to a century depending on the species, but without the effort the trees simply wouldn’t be there for use in the future.
“We cut less than half of one per cent per year of the forest. Over the long run of the rotation we take a very small amount each year. But the replanting of those trees and the growth period of 100 years means there is always trees growing and always reforestation happening in preparation for the second harvest,” Barber said.
Oliver Paipoonge Mayor Lucy Kloosterhuis said she passes by Resolute’s Kakabeka seed orchard every day on the way to work, and it’s a constant reminder of the cycle of life.
“You see the small trees go in. You see them grow. You see the large ones leave and they go to do whatever they’re supposed to do in this world,” Kloosterhuis mused.
“Trees are an integral part of our life. They produce oxygen, they take the carbon dioxide out of the air and they filter our groundwater. They’re a major part of everyday life that we kind of ignore.”
Unless, of course, you’re John Lawrence.
