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Why We Plant

A baby tree.

🍁The History of Canada's Forests: A National Treasure

Canada isn't just a country with forests — Canada is a forested nation. With over 347 million hectares of forest covering about 38% of our total land area, we hold 9% of the world's forests. That ranks us third globally, right behind Russia and Brazil.


🌿 Indigenous Stewardship: The First Foresters

Long before European settlers arrived, Indigenous Peoples were the original caretakers of these vast woodlands. From coast to coast to coast, First Nations, Inuit, and Métis communities understood the forest not as a resource but as kin. Their practices — like controlled burning, sustainable harvesting, and cultural teachings — formed a blueprint for modern conservation.

Today, Indigenous leadership plays a central role in protecting and restoring our forests, blending ancestral wisdom with contemporary science.


🌲 Settlers and Industrial Impact

When European settlers arrived, so did large-scale logging. By the 1800s, forests had become commodities, with timber used for ships, homes, railroads, and international trade. Forestry played a significant role in building Canada's economy, but it came at a cost. Ancient trees were felled, ecosystems disrupted, and landscapes forever changed.

Ultimately, during this periodpeople began to understand that forests were more than profits—they were life.


🌎 A Turning Point: Conservation, Science & Reforestation

The 20th century saw Canada shift its focus toward forest conservation and sustainable management. Provinces introduced policies to limit clear-cutting, protect wildlife, and promote reforestation. Today, over 90% of Canadian forests are publicly owned, and the country upholds some of the world's strictest forestry regulations.


Views worth preserving at Banff National Park.

🍃 Canada's Iconic Forest Regions

Canada's forests are as diverse and legendary as the nation's — from coastal rainforests to rugged boreal landscapes. Here are five unforgettable regions that every Canadian (and nature lover) should know:

🌲 1. Great Bear Rainforest, British Columbia

One of Earth's most significant remaining temperate rainforests, spanning 6.4 million hectares, it is home to the rare white "spirit bear" (Kermode bear), ancient cedars, and thriving salmon ecosystems. This forest is protected through groundbreaking agreements between First Nations and the government—a model of collaborative conservation.

🌳 2. Interior Cedar-Hemlock Zone, BC Interior

A hidden inland rainforest, lush with towering red cedars, hemlocks, mosses, moose, and owls. Rich with biodiversity and mystique, it's a quiet treasure of British Columbia.

🌲 3. Boreal Forest (Across the North)

Stretching from the Yukon to Newfoundland, the boreal covers 75% of Canada's forested land. It is one of the largest intact ecosystems on the planet, a massive carbon sink, a bird sanctuary, and a natural water filter.

🍁 4. Algonquin Park Forest, Ontario

Known for its fiery autumn colours and serene beauty, Algonquin is a blend of hardwood and conifer trees. Its legacy dates back to 1893. It's a beloved retreat for campers, hikers, and artists alike.

🍂 5. Acadian Forest, New Brunswick & Nova Scotia

This rich mixed-wood forest features red spruce, sugar maple, yellow birch, and eastern hemlock, unique to Eastern Canada and New England. It's deeply tied to maritime history—from shipbuilding to storytelling.


🌱 10 Reasons Why We Plant Trees

Trees are life. They absorb carbon, release oxygen, filter water, provide habitat, stabilize soil, improve mental health, and even promote bodily healing. Here are 10 reasons why we plant trees:

  1. Photosynthesis Powerhouses
    Trees absorb CO₂ and release O₂ — balancing the very air we breathe.

  2. Carbon Storage Champions
    The older and larger the tree, the more carbon it stores. Some trees have stored carbon for centuries.

  3. Climate Regulators
    Trees cool the Earth, reduce urban heat, and help balance a changing climate.

  4. Soil Protectors
    Their roots prevent erosion, while fallen leaves enrich the soil.

  5. Biodiversity Hubs
    Trees support ecosystems that are home to a diverse array of birds, bugs, fungi, mammals, and other organisms.

  6. Natural Air & Water Filters
    Trees absorb pollutants and filter rainwater before it enters lakes and rivers.

  7. Wildlife Sanctuaries
    Forests are home to 80% of the world's terrestrial species. This includes humans.

  8. Wellness Boosters
    Forests reduce stress, anxiety, blood pressure, and noise pollution.

  9. Urban Coolers
    Trees reduce the heat island effect and add green sanctuaries to city life.

  10. Legacy Builders
    A tree planted today may grow for centuries, shaping the lives of future generations to come.


How Trees Absorb & Use Carbon

  • Step 1: Leaves open their stomata to pull in carbon dioxide from the air.

  • Step 2: Sunlight powers photosynthesis, turning CO₂ + water into glucose and oxygen.

  • Step 3: Trees use glucose for growth, repair, reproduction, and defence against disease.

  • Step 4: The leftover carbon becomes wood, bark, and root systems — nature's long-term carbon vault.


Trees in Medicine: Healing from the Roots Up

1. Nature's Original Pharmacy

🌳Trees produce natural compounds in their bark, sap, leaves, and roots, which have been used in traditional and modern medicine for centuries.

2. Sources For Medicine🌱:

  • Willow Tree – Contains salicin, the original inspiration for aspirin.

  • Pacific Yew is a vital source of the chemotherapy drug paclitaxel (Taxol).

  • Cinchona Tree – Contains quinine, a malaria treatment still referenced today.

  • Birch Trees – Packed with betulin, studied for antiviral and anti-inflammatory effects.

  • Eucalyptus – Its oil treats congestion, infections, and sore muscles.

  • Neem Tree – Revered globally for its antibacterial and skin-healing properties.

3. Deep Roots in Cultural Healing

🌿For millennia, indigenous and ancient cultures have turned to tree-based medicine to treat wounds, fevers, infections, and spiritual imbalances.

4. Inspiring Modern Science

🧪Tree compounds are still being studied for new antibiotics, antivirals, and cancer treatments in a world facing rising resistance to synthetic drugs.

5. Healing the Soul

❤️Walking through trees is therapy in motion. Forest bathing (shinrin-yoku) reduces anxiety and restores mental clarity by allowing one to detach from devices and focus on being present.


From the Bay of Fundy to across the globe!

🌱 Woodlands Legacy, Coastal Paradise

We don't just inherit the Earth from our ancestors — we borrow it from our children. We plant a tree as a simple act of hope, resistance, and a living symbol of the future to come.

Planting mangroves, restoring coral, and supporting coastal cleanups are essential nature-based solutions for our planet — and here's why:

Mangrove Forests: Nature's Coastal Guardians

  • Carbon sinks: Mangroves absorb and store up to 4–10 times more carbon per hectare than tropical rainforests, playing a pivotal role in climate mitigation.

  • Coastal protection: Their dense root networks buffer shorelines against storms, erosion, and tidal surges, safeguarding communities and infrastructure.

  • Biodiversity and pollution filters: They offer critical habitat for marine species and naturally filter pollutants, including nutrients from sewage, improving water quality.

  • Scaling impact with local partners: Only One supports tree-planting efforts, such as 25,000 mangroves in the Bahamas and 1,000,000 in Mida Creek, Kenya, through community-led projects.

Planting Mangrove Trees!

🪸 Coral Restoration: Rebuilding Underwater Ecosystems

  • Habitat creation: Coral reefs host immense biodiversity, supporting fish populations and coastal food systems.

  • Reef nurseries: Only One backs initiatives growing tens of thousands of corals on rope–and–rack nurseries across Indonesia and French Polynesia to accelerate reef recovery.

  • Climate & community resilience: Restored reefs enhance fish stocks, local livelihoods, and coastal defence while fostering community-led marine solutions.


🧹 Coastal & River Cleanups: Halting Plastic at the Source

  • Preventing ocean pollution: 80% of marine Plastic comes from rivers.

  • Practical interventions: Only One funds "river barriers" in Bali that have already diverted over 1.7 million kg of plastics from waterways and beaches.

  • Community-driven solutions: Groups like Sungai Watch employ teams of "river warriors" to collect, sort, recycle, or repurpose waste, aiming for zero landfill output and engaging locals in daily cleanup and advocacy efforts.

Coral Reef life

Why These Actions Matter Globally:

  • Climate stability: Through carbon sequestration and storm protection, mangroves and reefs limit climate impacts on people and nature.

  • Ecosystem health: These habitats support essential food webs, ranging from juvenile fish in mangrove nurseries to reef communities, which in turn impact global fisheries and biodiversity.

  • Social uplift: Projects that employ and educate locals build sustainable livelihoods, empower communities, and foster environmental stewardship.

  • Scaling through collaboration: Only One's fully transparent, member‑funded model ensures 100% of donations go directly into tangible projects—from planting trees and corals to plastic removal.

🌊 Why Preserving the Ocean Is Vital to Our Survival

The ocean is the lifeblood of our planet. It produces over 50% of the world’s oxygen, absorbs 30% of global carbon dioxide emissions, and regulates the Earth's climate, making it essential to human survival. Yet, it's under threat from pollution, overfishing, habitat destruction, and climate change.

🌐 Key Reasons the Ocean Is Crucial to Life on Earth

  • Oxygen Generator:
    Phytoplankton in the ocean produce more oxygen than all the rainforests combined, accounting for over half of the oxygen we breathe.

  • Carbon Sink:
    Oceans absorb approximately 30% of the CO₂ generated by humans, thereby helping to mitigate the impact of climate change.

  • Climate Regulator:
    Ocean currents redistribute heat around the globe, stabilizing weather systems and temperature patterns.

  • Food Source:
    Over 3 billion people rely on the ocean for their primary source of protein, and millions more depend on it for livelihood and nutrition.

  • Biodiversity Hotspot:
    Coral reefs alone support about 25% of all marine species — yet they occupy less than 1% of the ocean floor.

  • Economic Backbone:
    Coastal and marine environments contribute more than $3 trillion annually to the global economy, including tourism, fishing, and shipping.

  • Natural Defence System:
    Healthy reefs and mangroves reduce wave energy by up to 97%, acting as natural sea walls that protect coastal communities from storms and flooding.


🚨 What’s at Stake if We Don’t Act

  • By 2050, there could be more plastic than fish in the ocean by weight.

  • Over 90% of big fish populations have been depleted due to overfishing.

  • Rising ocean temperatures are causing widespread coral bleaching, threatening marine ecosystems and coastal economies.

  • Ocean acidification (caused by CO₂ absorption) is dissolving the shells of vital marine species, impacting the entire food chain.


🌎 Arcadia Apparel × Only One: Ocean-First Action

Through our partnership with Only One, Arcadia Apparel supports critical ocean-saving projects, including:

  • Planting mangrove forests that store carbon and filter water

  • Restoring coral reefs that boost biodiversity and protect coasts

  • Funding coastal and river clean-ups that prevent plastic pollution before it reaches the sea

Preserving the ocean isn’t just about protecting nature — it’s about protecting ourselves. Every wave we wear, every reef we rebuild, and every mangrove we plant helps ensure a livable planet for generations to come.


Arcadia Apparel × One Tree Planted × Only One: Earth Gang Partnering for Real Impact

By teaming up with One Tree Planted and Only One, Arcadia Apparel is joining a global movement that:

  1. Halts plastic pollution at its source in rivers and coasts.

  2. Rebuilds diverse coastal habitats that shield against climate threats and support marine life.

  3. Powers local economies and fosters environmental governance.

  4. Guarantees transparency and impact, giving customers confidence in every initiative.

Together, Arcadia Apparel, One Tree Planted, Only One and our friends, customers and kin are transforming consumer awareness into tangible ecological benefits. Join the Earth Gang and the movement forward from vibrant coastal ecosystems to empowered communities and a healthier planet.

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