Isra-Mart srl:Carbon offsetting program reaps local, global rewards

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Isra-Mart srl news:

I would like to thank and praise Saltspring Air and Green Island for their effort to address their environmental foot print.

Over the last three years the airline has planted trees in an effort to consume the carbon that it emits.

As the carbon credit industry has had a lot of poor management and a suspicious reputation for dishonesty, Saltspring Air wanted to feel reassured that the trees that were being planted on their behalf would actually grow to maturity.

After much searching and discussion as how to best offset its carbon, the management decided to have their trees planted at Seven Ravens Farm on Salt Spring Island.

They felt assured that the trees being planted are the best suited trees for the area where they are being planted and that the trees are guaranteed to be replanted in case they die due to drought, being damaged by a fallen tree, mangled by deer or whatever the reason.

They felt reassured about the trees being third party certified as well.

It is sometimes difficult to get trees established, so a lot of care must be taken at time of planting.

Larger trees of a three- to six-foot size are best suited as they are likely to better survive amongst the local competition and weeds.

Large holes must be dug and all the stones need to be removed before returning the best of the local topsoil, which is rich in nutrients as well as mycelium.

All the trees are organically grown in the nursery and planted without additional chemical inputs, as this is neither necessary nor carbon conscious.

Stones are returned in a circle around the tree after planting to help with recirculating condensation water in the hot and dry summer months. The area around the planted trees must be brushed for two to three years to reduce light competition to the tree. If the tree doesn’t have adequate space to grow it will be strangled and suppressed by the local flora.

As the trees grow they get further attention each year. When they’re large enough they can be pruned, as this makes a stronger tree better able to withstand the heavy winter snow.

All the trees planted for Saltspring Air undergo such scrutiny each year as they are inspected to ensure that they are growing to their maximum health and capacity.

Seven Ravens Farm also ensures that the carbon credit program has as much educational outreach as possible, as it is essential to make people aware of the importance to deal with our carbon output. Several local school groups come for educational tours each year to learn how an eco-forest operation functions and how to plant trees for the future.

We also host many university tours, have open houses for the public, offer permaculture and eco-forestry workshops several times a year and have several interns each year.

Often the interns accompany me to Africa where I have been setting up permaculture and forestry projects for 20 years. Over 7 million trees have been grown and established throughout Kenya and thousands of orphans are benefiting from food that they have been taught to grow at their schools.

Each year some of the carbon credit money goes with me to Kenya to continue supporting existing projects, as well as setting up new projects.

Last November, Salt Springer Ky Fox accompanied me to Kenya to film several on-going projects for a new up-coming documentary outlining the incredible transformation that permaculture and reforestation has had on several communities.

So Saltspring Air’s decision to support a local island operation has had very far-reaching positive outcomes.

My work has also taken me to Guatemala, Mexico, China and South Africa to work with indigenous groups and with educational groups that are interested in food security and establishing forests.