PROJECT REPORT
MINNESOTA 2023 RESTORING RESILIENT FORESTS
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT Dear friend, Thanks to your support, a total of 1,000,000 trees were planted to restore 1,157 hectares of land in Minnesota. Planting trees in areas that have been degraded or deforested helps the environment by accelerating and assuring the re-establishment of healthy forests. Through reforestation, the canopy is restored, ecosystems are made whole, and biodiversity can thrive. None of this would be possible without you. On behalf of everyone at One Tree Planted, thank you! What follows is a report outlining the project you supported in Minnesota. I hope you enjoy reading it and truly feel the impact you have made.
OVERVIEW
The objective of the Minnesota 2023 - Restoring Resilient Forests Restoration project was to restore vital tree species and bring in new tree species that will help forests maintain and improve their resilience to climate change and other threats to forest integrity and related ecosystem functions. For this project, our partners conducted a Forest Restoration and Resilience Plan using GIS, data modeling, remote sensing, and field verification that highlighted priority landscapes where forest resilience investments will produce the highest and longest-term ecological benefits. Not only will reforesting these areas improve tree diversity, but with the added diversity comes more sufficient wildlife habitat, improved soil and water quality, carbon storage, and a natural oasis for the local community to enjoy for years to come.
TREES PLANTED 1,000,000
TREE SPECIES PLANTED 11
FAMILIES BENEFITED 45
HECTARES REFORESTED 1,157
WOMEN INVOLVED 20 PEOPLE BENEFITED FROM TRAINING 5
ACRES REFORESTED 2,859 WILDLIFE SPECIES BENEFITED 50
TREE SPECIES PLANTED Eleven native species were planted across 2,589 acres of land for this project: white spruce (369,000), white pine (300,000), red pine (120,000), red oak (63,000), jack pine (50,000), black spruce (55,000), tamarack (15,000), white cedar (10,000), bur oak (10,000), swamp white oak (5,000) and yellow birch (3,000). Planting sites and species selection were made within a strategy of natural climate solutions and improving biodiversity and habitat through enhancing tree species diversity. For example, some sites took place within the footprint of the 2021 Greenwood Fire with a forest fire restoration strategy. Likewise, there was an emphasis on riparian restoration in Lake Superior watersheds where trees were planted along streams. In addition to trees planted, a few hundred native shrubs - viburnum and dogwood were planted on a few sites. Shrubs improve overall diversity and habitat on the site by providing forage for birds and other animals, and improving structural diversity. Approximately 20 state species of greatest conservation significance identified in Minnesota’s State Wildlife Action Plan will have their habitat improved by this project.
SPECIES PLANTED THROUGH THIS PROJECT White spruce (picea glauca) White pine (pinus strobus) Red pine (pinus resinosa) Red oak (quercus rubra) Jack pine (pinus banksiana) Black spruce (picea mariana) Tamarack (larix laricina) White cedar (thuja occidentalis) Bur oak (quercus macrocarpa) Swamp white oak (quercus bicolor) Yellow birch (betula allegheniensis)
TREE SPECIES
IDENTIFICATION & USE There are over 40 different species of spruce, with 2 being native to Minnesota. The white spruce is a large tree with a narrow crown and yellow-brown twigs. Also known as the ‘Canadian spruce,’ white spruce can grow to 40 meters tall and on a variety of land forms and soil types, including riparian, upland, and treeline sites. White spruce is a very important commercial tree species, with its wood being used for pulp, paddles, piano sounding boards and dimension lumber. Young spruce tips in spring can be eaten fresh or cooked, and its cones can be used to make decorative wreaths. Furthermore, the needles can be dried and ground into a powder for use in baking, or used to make tea. There are over 180 species of pine, with 3 species being native to Minnesota. White pine grow up to 100ft tall and have a straight trunk with pyramidal shape and soft gray-green foliage. White pine bark is thin and smooth on young trees, and thick and deeply furrowed on older trees. White pine is an important species through the northern, central and eastern parts of Minnesota, thriving on fertile, well-drained soil. White pine wood is soft, durable and easy to work with. As a wood that stains and finishes well, it can be manufactured into lumber or used for construction, millwork, trim and pulpwood. It can also be used to make doors, paneling, wooden ware and cabinets. Red pine is a coniferous evergreen tree native to Minnesota. The red pine grows to 80-100ft and has a straight trunk with branches that form an open-round picturesque head. Red pine is found in many parts of northern and northeastern Minnesota, and is popular for forest planting because of its disease and insect resistance. Red pine wood is straight grained and moderately hard, making it an excellent choice for the production of wood used for poles, lumber, cabin logs, pulpwood and fuel. It can also be used for paneling, exterior woodwork, household items and garden tools.
YOUR IMPACT ON THE MAP The Minnesota 2023 - Restoring Resilient Forests Restoration project comprised of planting a mix of 1,000,000 coniferous and deciduous trees across northern Minnesota for the purpose of increasing tree species diversity and resilience against future threats. Using technology like drones, remote sensing and GIS, priority landscapes were recognized and restored, establishing vital wildlife habitat, improving resilience to threats, and protecting an array of services and benefits the forests provide. Working at the nexus of three biomes; prairie grasslands, deciduous forest and boreal forest, northern Minnesota has suffered from logging for some time, leaving behind only a few patches of old growth forest. The 1M trees planted will help to restore some of the benefits which have been diminished due to logging, such as habitat and biodiversity loss, and temperature instability. On top of Minnesota bordering Lake Superior, the greatest of the Great Lakes, the state boasts an impressive 10,000+ lakes within its boundaries. This project restored tree diversity by reforesting over 20 miles (or 300 hectares) of riparian areas, including streams in Lake Superior watersheds. In doing so, the planted trees will help to improve water quality and remove sediment from waterways - just one example of the ecosystem services the Minnesota 2023 - Restoring Resilient Forests Restoration project will provide.
PROJECT SPOTLIGHT Reforestation to Restore Tree Diversity and Improve Ecosystem Resilience
DOCUMENTING YOUR IMPACT Through authentic and informative storytelling, we help donors relate to the people who plant their trees and to the impact they're making for the planet. We share photos, videos, and updates from our global projects across our social media, website, and other media to create a personal connection to the incredible work happening on the ground.
PHOTOS FROM YOUR PROJECT
WE KNOW WHAT NEEDS TO BE DONE TO MAKE OUR FORESTS MORE RESILIENT TO CLIMATE CHANGE AND BIODIVERSITY LOSS. ONE TREE PLANTED FUNDS ALLOW US TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AT A MEANINGFUL SCALE.
BIODIVERSITY BENEFITS Biodiversity refers to the variety of life on earth at all levels, from genes to ecosystems, and all the processes that sustain life. Forests cover roughly a third of Minnesota, or approximately 17.6 million acres of land. The forests that dominate Minnesota’s landscape brim with pristine wilderness and abundant biodiversity, with noteworthy animal species including moose, elk, Canada lynx, burrowing owl and spotted salamander. Minnesota’s biodiversity is fueled by its proximity to the geographic center of the continent, where three major biomes meet: the prairie, boreal forest and eastern deciduous forest. These forests are largely dominated by quaking aspen, red maple, bur oak and spruce. Minnesota Forests Facts & Stats: Over 2,000 known native wildlife species Home to the second largest gray wolf population (2,000) High Priority Animals: Moose (alces americanus)- State Species of Special Concern Elk (cervus canadensis)- State Species of Special Concern Mountain lion (puma concolor)- State Species of Special Concern Eastern spotted skunk (spilogale putorius)- State Threatened Northern pocket gopher (thomomys talpoides)- State Threatened Burrowing owl (athene cunicularia)- State Endangered Hooded warbler (setophaga citrina)- State Species of Special Concern Blanchard’s cricket frog (acris blanchardi)- State Endangered High Priority Plants: Ball cactus (coryphantha vivipara)- State Endangered Creeping juniper (juniperus horizontalis)- State Special Concern Dry sedge (carex xerantica)- State Special Concern Green dragon (arisaema dracontium)- State Special Concern Northern spikemoss (selaginella selaginoides)- State Endangered Silverleaf grape (vitis aestivalis)- State Threatened
COMMUNITY
BENEFITS
The local community will benefit from the restored forests through multiple avenues, including recreational opportunities, improved water quality, carbon storage, and the economic values that forests provide. Minnesota’s forest sector employs a total of 69,000 individuals and brings in approx. $18.7 billion in annual revenue. It is no surprise, then, that Minnesota’s forest products are the state’s 5th largest manufacturing sector. For this project, a partner organization initiated a seed collection and nursery coop that allows community members to provide seedlings for forest resilience and restoration efforts, cultivating community support and environmental stewardship for years to come. The reforested areas will also be used for field trips, volunteer opportunities and recreational activities. As part of this project, a scenic highway along Lake Superior was restored that will improve recreation and restore local pride in a spectacular part of Minnesota. Likewise, by shifting forest composition to species that live longer and grow longer, we not only safeguard recreational pursuits in the long run, but augment carbon storage capabilities that will benefit the surrounding communities.
U.N. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS THIS PROJECT CONTRIBUTED TO THE FOLLOWING SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS:
WHAT ARE SDGS? Sustainable development entails seeking out solutions that not only boost the economic outcomes of developing and poorer nations, but also work to limit (or eliminate) our impact on the planet. Trees are one such solution. From creating jobs and reducing hunger to improving gender equality, cleaning air and water, absorbing carbon, protecting life on land and water, and more, planting trees can address all 17 sustainable development goals.
“This project is an excellent example demonstrating the myriad ways in which forests benefit wildlife, local communities, and their landscapes. The forests restored through this project will bring about vital ecological services while serving as a natural oasis for years to come.”
Meghan Danny
Global Projects Support Specialist
Brittney Burke
Regional Project Director North America