Cambium Carbon and the Arbor Day Foundation Pilot "Reforestation Hubs" in Four U.S. Cities

LINCOLN, Nebraska (January 5, 2021) - Cambium Carbon, in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation, today announced the pilot launch of “Reforestation Hubs,” an innovative model geared toward improving resource efficiency and carbon capture at the municipal level.  Reforestation Hubs will engage local businesses, residents, and policymakers to close the loop on urban wood waste, upcycling removed trees and developing new revenue to support tree planting and maintenance. Pilot cities include Denver, Colorado; Eugene, Oregon; New York City, New York; and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.

“These pilots are step one in building a circular economy for urban forestry,” said Marisa Repka, Co-Founder and City Partnerships Lead at Cambium Carbon. “We’re excited to work with our city partners to make the case for infrastructure and policy that will improve resource efficiency, create new jobs, and foster community resilience.”

The four pilot projects will work to develop a roadmap for local wood reuse programs and quantify the estimated financial, social, and environmental impacts. The pilots will also explore local opportunities to support tree care and new planting, such as carbon offsetting projects and the creation of green jobs pathways across the tree life cycle.

Urban forests can help combat climate change while providing numerous community co-benefits. Yet despite their positive impacts, our forests are in serious jeopardy.  American cities lose an average 36 million trees each year due to factors such as disease or infestation, age, and extreme weather -- resulting in economic losses up to $786 million annually.

“From sequestering carbon to bolstering health, trees are a vital resource for cities everywhere. The new business model we are building alongside Cambium Carbon will convert wood waste into new revenue streams, offering critical funding cities need to maintain and grow their urban tree canopies,” said Kyle Kornack, Arbor Day Foundation. “In doing so, we can accelerate regional reforestation, the creation of urban green jobs, and resiliency against the growing climate crisis.”

The projects will build off of the work of innovative peer cities, including that of The Baltimore Wood Project and Philadelphia Parks and Recreation. Cambium Carbon will also be launching a Reforestation Hubs Peer Working Group to share learnings, resources, and opportunities. To join or learn more, please email [email protected].

About Cambium Carbon: Cambium Carbon is a circular economy startup reforesting America by enabling local wood economies. Cambium works with cities to save fallen urban trees from landfills, turn them into their highest use, and channel revenues into tree planting--creating jobs, supporting local economies, and fighting climate change. To learn more or connect, visit www.cambiumcarbon.com.

About the Arbor Day Foundation: Founded in 1972, the Arbor Day Foundation has grown to become the largest nonprofit membership organization dedicated to planting trees, with more than one million members, supporters, and valued partners. During the last 49 years, more than 400 million Arbor Day Foundation trees have been planted in neighborhoods, communities, cities and forests throughout the world. Our vision is to help others understand and use trees as a solution to many of the global issues we face today, including air quality, water quality, climate change, deforestation, poverty and hunger.