Travel firm donating trees to DNR to offset emissions

One technique to ameliorate the effects of global warming is carbon sequestration, and planting more trees is a way to store carbon dioxide. Company plans to give trees in more states

A Washington state travel company is donating $45,000 to the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to pay for planting 100,000 seedlings on state properties this year as a way to mitigate the impact of carbon emissions from its worldwide tours.

Orbridge is putting the money toward the trees in three state forests — Northern and Southern Kettle Moraine, Black River and Northern Highland American Legion.

The Natural Resources Board accepted the donations at a meeting on Wednesday in Madison.

Meg Rice, director of marketing for Orbridge, said the donation was a firsttime initiative for the company, although it plans to provide funds for planting more seedlings in Wisconsin and other states in future years.

One technique to ameliorate the effects of global warming is carbon sequestration, and planting more trees is a way to store carbon dioxide.

Teague Prichard of the DNR estimated that his agency’s land holdings have 1.5 million acres in need of reforestation.

Orbridge’s programs travel to locations in North America, South America, Europe and Africa, emphasizing natural history, wildlife, culture and cuisine.

The company approached the DNR because it knew about seedling donations to Wisconsin from an Illinois company.

Finkl Steel of Chicago, a steel manufacturer, has been providing funds to the DNR for years to plant trees to reduce the impact of carbon dioxide emissions from its manufacturing process.

Finkl is expected to donate $588,000 between 1990 and 2022, according to the DNR. As of 2012, the company had planted some 3.2 million seedlings in Wisconsin.

Orbridge’s president, Jim Staples, is the son of the former legal counsel of Finkl.

“As a travel company, we understand and appreciate the environmental impact that we have,” Staples said in a statement.

“We take seriously and are committed to our global responsibility to help minimize our footprint. This reforestation program is our biggest undertaking to-date towards accomplishing this goal.”