ConExpo-Con/Agg, in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, intends to plant more than 139,000 trees over the next few months to reforest regions of the U.S. and support habitat restoration, biodiversity and disaster recovery.
The organizations are planting more than 139,000 trees in honor of the 139,000 people who attended ConExpo-Con/Agg in Las Vegas back in March.
“ConExpo-Con/Agg 2023 emphasized how the construction industry is evolving in many ways to adapt to sustainable technologies, products and practices, including this partnership,” says Dana Wuesthoff, ConExpo-Con/Agg show director. “Natural climate solutions, such as planting trees, help to sequester carbon from the atmosphere while also providing cleaner air and water, soil stabilization and protecting wildlife habitats. The 139,100 trees that are being planted across the U.S. as part of our partnership will hopefully make our show attendees proud to know that this donation will help contribute to reforestation and biodiversity.”
Project plans
Northern California is among the regions the Arbor Day Foundation will plant. According to ConExpo-Con/Agg, the 2021 Dixie Fire ripped through Northern California and left behind a burn scar of more than 963,000 acres. The new trees from the ConExpo-Con/Agg partnership will begin to reestablish animal habitats disrupted by the fire. As the trees take root and grow into mature stands, ConExpo-Con/Agg says root systems will prevent erosion while improving the water quality for nearby Lake Almanor.
Oregon and Washington will also receive trees. Planting projects will utilize trees to restore watersheds, and ConExpo-Con/Agg is helping to plant a diverse blend of species that will provide cooling shade and water filtration to protect salmon populations.
Georgia is yet another recipient of the trees that will be planted through the partnership. According to ConExpo-Con/Agg, longleaf pine was once the dominant tree species in the South, but early settlers cleared the forests for agriculture and lumber. Today, longleaf pine covers less than 3 percent of its original range, and the loss of the ecosystem has been devastating to nearly 600 animal and plant species that depend on it. Through ConExpo-Con/Agg’s commitment to restoration, longleaf and shortleaf pines will be planted across private and public lands in central Georgia.
“Through their shared support of these impactful projects, ConExpo-Con/Agg and its network have demonstrated a commitment to critical forest ecosystems,” says Dan Lambe, chief executive of the Arbor Day Foundation. “Our team was honored to attend one of North America’s largest trade shows to discuss and celebrate the unique power of trees with industry leaders from around the world.”
Held every three years, ConExpo-Con/Agg attracts attendees from various sectors of the construction industry. The trade show’s organizers say the partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation represents the first of many steps in helping to reduce the industry’s environmental impact and increase sustainability efforts at the show.
