Worthy Garden Club to Plant 1 Million Trees Across Oregon via its Operation Appleseed Program

With a $1,000,000 commitment from the Worthy Garden Club, the philanthropic arm of Worthy Brewing, the club has launched Operation Appleseed that will plant 1 million trees across Oregon. This new huge endeavor is one that will see native tree seedlings planted in public and private lands across Oregon to support habitat restoration efforts and combat climate change.

This $1MM commitment will be part of a three-year commitment that during its first year over 512,000 native trees and shrubs will be planted on almost 3,000 acres on 27 project sites all of the way from the high desert east of Bend to the Oregon Coast. The goal of the plantings will be to help restore four fire-affected sites, including the Milli and McKay Fire Scars and the Jones and Whitewater Creek areas in the Willamette National Forest. Plantings at other sites across Oregon will improve habitat conditions for more than seven miles of streams and rivers.

“Climate change is wreaking havoc on communities and natural areas, and the need for reforestation and the creation of healthy ecosystems in Oregon has never been greater,” ,” said David Blair, executive director of Worthy Garden Club, in a prepared statement. “Luckily, there’s something we can all do about it: plant a tree…or a million. Trees are natural superheroes. They improve air and water quality, expand natural habitats for wildlife, and help curb climate change through carbon sequestration. Planting them is one of the best—and easiest—things we can do to make Oregon more resilient, and Operation Appleseed is committed to revitalizing forests across the state, starting now.”

“Pacific Northwest forests can capture and store more carbon per acre than any other major forest type on the planet,” said Kody Osborne, director of environmental affairs at Worthy Garden Club, in a statement. “An average acre of forest in Oregon will sequester about 4.74 tons of Co2 per year. When mature, Operation Appleseed’s 2020 plantings will offset the annual emissions of an estimated 1,400 Oregonians.”

“We’ll call this campaign ‘Operation Appleseed.’ Instead of apple trees, we’ll plant evergreens and hardwoods. Instead of apples, they’ll bear something far sweeter than fruit—fresh, clean air and carbon storage, along with vital habitat for flora and fauna. We’ll be reforesting with a diverse array of native trees.” – Roger Worthington, Worthy Brewing, November 2019

Operation Appleseed is working in partnership with a robust coalition of environmental organizations. Its 2020 lead partners include:

• S. Forest Service
• Seven Watershed Councils (Coast Fork Willamette, Long Tom, North Santiam, South Santiam, McKenzie, Siuslaw and MidCoast Watersheds)
• Two Soil and Water Conservation Districts (Lincoln and Siuslaw)
• Two land trusts (McKenzie River Trust and the Wetlands Conservancy)
• Additional partners: Arbor Day Foundation, Bonneville Environmental Foundation, Discover Your Forest (Deschutes National Forest), High Cascades Forest Volunteers (Willamette National Forest), Oregon Natural Desert Association, Portland Audubon, Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory, Trout Unlimited

Funding from Operation Appleseed is supporting planting projects through these organizations. Additionally, the partners hope to attract more donors to their projects with the goal of doubling tree planting targets and funding wildfire prevention measures.

“Thanks to our partnership with Operation Appleseed, we are able to amplify our work at Green Island, our largest protected property and one of the best remaining opportunities within the Willamette Valley for preserving and restoring a dynamic and ecologically diverse river system,” said Joe Moll, executive director of the McKenzie River Trust, in a statement.  “This area is a critical area for protection and restoration within the lower McKenzie Watershed, and we’re grateful to Operation Appleseed for its critical support.”

Follow the Operation Appleseed’s progress below:

To learn more about the planting projects and for individual donation and volunteer opportunities, visit operationappleseed.com.