How to reforest the planet…ask “WHERE ARE THE TREES?”

Reforestation is the only industrial activity with a positive externality for the climate and biodiversity. It's our best shot at reducing emissions, short of not emitting. The way to scale it is simple, as with any industry, productivity is driven by...competition.

Competition for: money, market share, innovation, glory. Did you know the average Canadian tree planter exerts the same energy per day to run two marathons per day! 🏃🏼‍♀️️52 Miles! That is the level of productivity is driven by competition.

The way to scale reforestation is the same way tree planters scale to planting 5,000 trees per day. It requires a level playing field, with transparent scorekeeping, that requires productivity to get ahead. It’s driven by self-interest, but it’s a self-reinforcing market for productive labor all competing for the money and glory of planting those big numbers. 

Tree planting in Canada is so productive because the market is transparent, and it scales the exact same way. For example, the BC provincial government issues public bids for hundreds of millions of trees since the 1980’s making pricing in the wider market fully transparent. This has driven immense productivity gains across the industry and Canadian tree planters go one to manage reforestation projects around the world. 🌏️

The way to scale reforestation is to require funded projects to disclose the who, what, and where trees are planted. Make vendors compete for: reviews, products, prices, specs, and track record. Just like do with every other product or service. 

If you buy a TV, or car any other product or service, do you take a salesperson’s word exclusively? No, of course you go online and read about the product or service. It’s not hidden, rather the specs and details are promoted openly to compete for the attention of informed consumers like yourself.

Reforestation is the same, don’t let salespeople tell you otherwise. And don’t promote projects that aren’t openly available with maps and public information. Ask where are the trees?

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