Forest Restorer

In 2022, wildfires burned more than 7.5 million acres of land across the United States. Last August, the deadliest blazes in the U.S. in more than a century tore through the Hawaiian island of Maui. Nearly a hundred people lost their lives when the wildfires ravaged the town of Lahaina.

I had a high school teacher who helped me realize the importance of protecting the environment. I went on to study environmental policy in college and got a master’s degree in engineering. Early in my career, I worked on a reforestation project in the South American country of Colombia. I wanted to try similar work in the U.S. One of the biggest challenges is that it takes a lot of time and energy to access the remote places where new trees need to be planted. So in 2016, I founded a company to focus on planting trees.

We use seeds collected from the wild. Since trees are adapted to live in certain regions, we choose seeds found in a similar geographic area as the burn site. They have natural defenses against threats found in the areas where they grow, such as fire, insects, and ice. We plant a variety of trees in our nurseries, each with some level of natural fire resistance. That means they’re more likely to survive future wildfires.

Our seedlings are adapted to dry, often harsh conditions. We’ve developed a way of cultivating seedlings that are hardier and more resilient to changing climate conditions. For one, these seedlings have bigger, stronger root systems. This can allow them to better obtain water from the soil. The enhanced root system can also help the seedlings develop thicker stems, where they can store more of the food that they produce through photosynthesis. All of these factors can help them thrive in their new location.

Additionally, the seedlings are transported and planted in a paper pot that protects them on the way to the site. The paper pot is planted along with the seedling, so we don’t have to disturb the roots during the planting process. The paper begins to biodegrade, or break down naturally, when seedlings are planted in soil.

We use remote sensing data, such as images captured by aircraft and satellites, to help identify areas suitable for restoration. Then we transport seedlings from our nurseries and plant them by hand. A team of about 20 people, including managers, foresters, and planters, work at the site. After planting, we monitor the seedlings’ growth and plant additional ones if needed to restore the area.

I would love for people to see forests not only as beautiful but also as important resources and sources of jobs. Helping forests regenerate after extreme wildfires and making them more resilient to climate change is an investment in the future.