BC Forest Management

Province will be eliminating 3 million single-use plastics wraps from tree-planting

Oct 3, 2023 | 10:57 AM

PRINCE GEORGE—In 2024, the province will be eliminating 3 million single-use plastic tree seedling wraps from the tree planting process, which supports 45 million seedlings. This equals approximately two million metres of single use plastics eliminated from landfills.

Following a successful trail of plastic removal within the Cariboo region. The project is run by the Ministry of Forests’ BC Timber Sales and the 45 million plastic-free seedlings will support reforestation projects across the province.

The common thinking within tree planting has been that plastic is needed to support, grow and manage this many successful seedlings, but this project proves definitively that there is a better way. Work like this is fundamental in moving British Columbia toward a low-carbon future that does not rely on plastics and makes us leaders in the global fight against climate change. Removing one single-use plastic has a positive impact on our environment, but removing three million single-use plastics per year is a massive achievement.

Bruce Ralston, Minister of Forests.

By 2030, it is estimated that as many as 18 million single-use plastic seedings wraps will be eliminated within B.C. by the wider forestry sector. The removal of single use plastics is one part of the provinces clean BC goals to create a sustainable and circular economy that fights climate change.

PRT Growing Services Ltd. is proud to be part of the Province of British Columbia’s No Wrap initiative for forest seedlings that will reduce manual, physical demands on our employees in addition to a valuable contribution toward the Province’s Climate Action plan.We applaud the Province’s leadership in undertaking an initiative to the benefit of our employees and our commitment to the environment in strong alignment with the corporate values of PRT.

Randy Fournier, chief executive officer, PRT Growing Services Ltd.

The provincials government is also partnering with the forestry industry and academic institutions to develop better ways of using B.C.’s renewable resources.

One of the partnerships was a one month pilot project between UNBC and Freya Logging where the students hot water was generated from cardboard materials recycled from tree planting projects in Northern B.C. These materials fed the university’s bioenergy-generation facilities. The cardboard came from boxes used to deliver tree seedlings to tree-planting projects.