Rockler meets tree-planting goal

Rockler Woodworking and Hardware celebrated Earth Day by partnering with the Hardwood Forestry Fund in a donation-based tree planting program. The goal was to plant 20,000 new trees and, according to Rockler vice president of marketing Scott Ekman, it was a mission accomplished.

“Teaming with the Hardwood Forestry Fund helps to ensure that future generations will enjoy the beauty and many uses of trees throughout the natural life of our hardwood forests,” Ekman says.

For every online, catalog and retain purchase made beginning in April, Rockler gave a monetary donation to the fund to plant trees in the United States on public lands managed by professional foresters. A not-for-profit, educational organization, the Hardwood Forestry Fund targets planting and management of commercially valuable hardwoods, including black cherry, black walnut, red oak, hard maple, hickory, ash and others.

Ekman added that with woodworkers being the benefactors of harvested trees, the partnership to plant trees helps them understand the importance of supporting organizations like the Hardwood Forestry Fund.

“We’re doing this to provide more visibility to the Hardwood Forestry Fund. I know they like our donation, but we’re also hoping that woodworkers learn more about this organization because it’s a gem of a group. All trees planted by the fund are included in a management plan [and] harvest-and-regeneration schedule, so they will wind back up in the industry.”

For information, visit www.hardwoodforestryfund.org.

This article originally appeared in the June 2012 issue.