ProjectUP™

Klamath Falls Basin, Oregon

The Bootleg Fire broke out in southern Oregon in July 2021 and burned 413,765 acres of forest, making it the third-largest fire in history. The basin is a hub for biodiversity, serving as one of the state’s top nesting areas for bald eagles. Because the forest is privately owned and receives no federal disaster assistance, external intervention through tree planting was crucial to catalyze natural regeneration of this regionally significant ecosystem. Along with providing a home for birds, big game, and small mammals, the 20,000 trees we helped plant will also support one of the largest fish and river restoration projects in U.S. history. By regulating stream temperatures and improving watershed quality, these new trees will help benefit habitat for salmon and a variety of endangered sucker fish, extending the ecological impact of more than 400 miles of newly-opened sections of the Klamath River.

Longleaf Pine, Southeast

With a historical range of more than 90 million acres of forestland throughout the Southeastern U.S., the longleaf pine is now considered an endangered species, covering under 6% of its original range from Virginia to Texas. The loss of ecosystem has been devastating to the nearly 600 animal and plant species that depend on it, including the prehistoric gopher tortoises, reticulated flatwoods salamanders, threatened red-cockaded woodpeckers, and countless other rare wildlife species. These combined efforts across several states resulted in the planting of over 190,000 trees to restore more than 300 acres of longleaf pine habitat.

Randolph County, Illinois

19,700 trees were planted to restore 37 acres along the Mississippi River floodplain in Randolph County, Illinois. The project helped restore an area critical to supporting the Mississippi’s water quality while also benefiting migratory birds and several endangered bat species by restoring the area with a diverse mix of native hardwoods to increase biodiversity in both age and species.