There’s a growing problem that has the power to change the entire world, but not for the better.
Deforestation is becoming more prevalent by the minute. Every day, 80,000 acres worth of trees are cut down, destroying habitats, ecosystems, and more.
Trees help clean the air we breathe, filter the water we drink, provide habitat to more than 80% of the world's biodiversity, and support billions of jobs. Yet 46% of the world’s forests have already been destroyed.
It’s time we do something about this.
Introducing Formstack Forests
We know we can’t stand aside and let forests disappear. As a company devoted to helping organizations reduce their reliance on paper, we’re ready to double down on that impact through Formstack Forests.
This program is part of Formstack’s corporate social responsibility program, Formstack for Good. The goal of this program is to commit our time, product, and profit to helping create a more sustainable and equal world.
Since launching in January 2020, Formstack employees have been able to give back to the world in a variety of ways, from providing donations to organizations focused on social justice to selling our own pet calendar to support Best Friends Animal Society.
Formstack for Good focuses on three areas of impact:
Plant: Developing programs that preserve, protect, and replenish our natural resources.
Pledge: Empowering ‘Stackers to give their time, talent, and resources to worthy causes in their community.
Give: Donating our product and industry knowledge to support nonprofits making a difference.
Formstack Forests falls under our Plant initiative as a way for us to support reforestation efforts around the world. To achieve our goal of planting 15,000 trees in 2021, we are partnering with One Tree Planted, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization focused solely on global reforestation efforts.
Why We Are Partnering with One Tree Planted
As a company that employs people across 10 different countries and supports thousands of customers all over the world, we wanted to find an organization that could reflect our globality and make an impact across hemispheres.
One Tree Planted stood out as a phenomenal partner. In 2020 alone, they planted over 10 million trees in more than 28 countries. Since 2014, they have been dedicated to making it easier for individuals and businesses to give back to the environment, create a healthier climate, protect biodiversity, and help reforestation efforts around the world.
Another reason we chose One Tree Planted as our Formstack Forests partner was due to their ability to plant one tree for every dollar donated. They partner with carefully selected reforestation organizations in 4 regions: North America, Latin America, Africa, and Asia. Thanks to their partnerships and processes, they’re able to plant one tree per dollar in all areas, despite varying costs across countries.
Where Formstack is Planting
We’re excited to plant a tree for for every new paid Formstack subscription or AppExchange customer review. Our goal is to plant 15,000 trees by the end of 2021. As of June 2021, we’re 43% of the way there! So far, we’ve planted 6,400 trees.
But where do we plant these trees? All across the globe! Thanks to One Tree Planted’s vast network, we have many options for where to plant trees. This year, we are targeting four specific locations:
Amazon Rainforest
Why: The Amazon is the world’s largest rainforest ecosystem, spanning nine countries and providing a home for almost 30% of plant and animal species. Due to logging, unsustainable agriculture, and forest fires, it’s a high-risk zone for deforestation and degradation.
Tree types: A variety of native species depending on season, which could include Kapok, Rubber, Xate, and/or Ipê
British Columbia
Why: Forests cover two-thirds of British Columbia—an area of almost 60 million hectares. But trees are dying by vast quantities due to insects, pests, and disease. These dead trees brought on the worst wildfire in British Columbia’s history, with over 1.2 million hectares burned.
Tree types: Pine, Spruce, Fir, Hemlock, and Western Red Cedar
California
Why: Five years of drought and a large-scale bark beetle infestation have seriously damaged California’s forests. 2020's fire season consumed close to 3 million acres, resulting in hundreds of millions of trees that will need to be restored.
Tree types: Sugar Pine, California Redwood (State Tree), Maple, Elderberry, Willow, Birch, Dogwood, Cedar, Giant Sequoia, and Walnut
U.S. Forest Service Areas
Why: National forests across California, Colorado, Florida, and Oregon are being hit with hazards, from wildfires to major diseases. One Tree Planted partners with the U.S. Forest Service to discover which areas need the most support to protect the environment, animals, and ecosphere.
Tree types: Cypress and Longleaf Pines, Carolina Silverbell, Elderberry, Willow, Birch, Dogwood, and Cedar
Let’s Create a More Sustainable World
Forests provide jobs to over 1.6 billion people, absorb harmful carbon from the atmosphere, and are key ingredients in 25% of all medicines. Without trees, much of life as we know it would not exist.
Now is the time to act in order to save our forests, protect wildlife, and ensure jobs. With One Tree Planted, we can replenish forests across the globe. Together, we can drive environmental change that creates a more sustainable world. Will you join us?
Formstack helps businesses create a paperless work environment through digital tools that automate processes and improve productivity. Want to help us plant a tree and double down on this impact? Learn how!
