Let’s face it; trees are pretty amazing. According to the Arbor Day Foundation (ADF), they prevent species loss, and clean our air and water. And all we have to do is plant and care for them.
We recognize the need for clean, fresh water as one of the most important resources we have and the important role trees play in the filtering process. According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), only 1 percent of the water on Earth is consumable for human use. So, it’s critical we protect forested watersheds where 75 percent of the world’s accessible fresh water is found.
A healthy watershed is filled with trees and has a functioning ecosystem. That’s why we support ADF through a portion of our reusable bag sales. This year, we continued our support with a donation of $125,000.
Through our work with ADF in the Withlacoochee State Forest and Little Orange Creek, both in Florida, we’ve made a big difference.
This year, we planted 125,000 longleaf pine seedlings over 150 acres. These trees will help intercept and filter 13.6 billion gallons of rainfall.
And when you combine this year’s contribution with our previous work with ADF, we’ve planted 355,000 seedlings over 550 acres that will intercept and filter] 39 billion gallons of rainfall.
What is a watershed?
Forested watersheds are areas of land where the streams and rainfall drain to a common outlet, such as the outflow of a reservoir, mouth of a bay or any point along a stream channel.
Little Orange Creek Preserve
The St. Johns River Water Management District is responsible for managing ground and surface water resources in 18 counties in northeast and east-central Florida, including the Little Orange Creek Preserve. This district is more than 12,000 square miles — about 7.8 million acres — or 21 percent of Florida.
This year, we planted approximately 75,000 longleaf pine seedlings over 90 acres.
These trees will help restore natural water flow to this area and create sustainable wetland habitats for plants and wildlife.
Withlacoochee River Watershed
This watershed covers approximately 2,100 square miles in parts of Citrus, Hernando, Lake, Levy, Marion, Pasco, Polk and Sumter counties. The Withlacoochee River is approximately 160 miles long and originates in the Green Swamp. It extends northward through eight counties before eventually emptying into the Gulf of Mexico near Yankeetown, Florida.
This year, we planted 50,000 longleaf pine seedlings — over 67 acres — in the Withlacoochee State Park next to last year’s planting.
Through these plantings, we will help filter the water to reduce excessive nitrogen and phosphorus that threaten this delicate freshwater habitat. This habitat is home to several species of endangered wildlife, including the Florida black bear, gopher tortoise, Eastern indigo snake, Florida scrub jay, bald eagle, snail kite and Florida crested caracara.
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