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Family-owned Seneca, Eugene, Or., recently planted its 40 millionth tree.
The occasion was celebrated on their tree farm where two of the three owners, sisters Becky and Kathy, planted seedlings with their grandchildren, grandnieces and grandnephews.
“I’m so excited about the planting of the 40 millionth tree! This is a huge milestone for our family,” said co-owner Becky Jones. “That soil is the native soil of the Douglas fir, but as the fourth generation of our family plants trees in it, it feels like the native soil of our family as well.”
The family used the experience to pass on knowledge and values about nurturing and sustaining the land. Co-owner Kathy Jones-McCann said, “Healthy trees are important to us, but so is healthy soil, cool clean water and thriving wildlife. On the tree farm we plan on a 50-year horizon. We plan for generations of trees and generations of family.”
To help the kids understand the magnitude of 40 million trees, they calculated that if those little seedlings were laid end-to-end they would cross America five and a half times.
Seneca manages its 167,000 acres of timberlands sustainably meaning they grow more than they harvest every year. They currently have 92% more timber on their lands than they had on those same acres 25 years ago. The timber harvested from their timberlands goes on to be made into renewable building materials. For every tree harvested, they plant three more.
