Seneca Plants 36 Millionth Tree
EUGENE, OR – Seneca Jones Timber Company just planted its 36,000,000th tree. Two of the three owners, Becky and Jody Jones, went out to their tree farm to celebrate the milestone and participate in a day of planting. There were cheers, hugs, family memories shared, and even a champagne toast.
The forestry staff did some calculations to illustrate the feat and found that if the 36,000,000 seedlings were laid end-to-end, they would cross America almost three and a half times. Starting on the beach of the Pacific Ocean and ending on the beach of the Atlantic Ocean three times and ending up near Wichita, KS on the fourth pass. They presented the owners with a map signifying the accomplishment.
Seneca Jones Timber Company was founded in 1992 by Aaron Jones who led the commitment to sustainable stewardship of his forests with a motivated desire to pass his legacy to future generations. The company has since been transferred to his daughters, Becky, Kathy and Jody Jones, and it manages 166,892 acres of timberland in Western Oregon. Management of the tree farm is on a sustainable yield basis so they never cut more than they grow. Additionally, seven different species of seedlings are regularly planted to assure diversity in their next generation forests. Today, those same forested acres have 92% more tree volume on them than they did when the company was founded in 1992, on roughly the same land base.
The tree farm currently cleans the air of approximately 473,930 metric tons of CO2 per year which is equivalent to the average annual CO2 emissions from 86,169 vehicles.
The professional forestry staff at Seneca Jones Timber Company brings over 400 years of combined forestry experience and discover new ways to become more innovative and productive with each passing year.
Seneca Jones Timber Company's forest policy consists of more than just the planting, growing and harvesting of trees. Forests are also managed to protect and provide habitat for fish and wildlife, clean air and water, soils and recreational opportunities. The combination of these values provide the necessary foundation for not just healthy forests, but more importantly, healthy ecosystems.
"We are so very excited about this accomplishment and what it represents for our next generation forests – Seneca is managing today's resources for tomorrow," said Todd Payne, Seneca's CEO.
Seneca Jones Timber Company is an integral member of the Seneca Family of Companies.
The Seneca Family of Companies started as a small sawmill operation founded by Aaron Jones in 1954. Today, owners Becky, Kathy and Jody Jones continue the legacy of leadership and innovation in the wood products industry, overseeing a multi-company family consisting of Seneca Sawmill Company, Seneca Jones Timber Company, Seneca Noti and Seneca Sustainable Energy.
The company recently announced a $60 million upgrade of their Dimension Mill and related facilities, including significant investments in technology that allows even greater efficiency in sustainable lumber production. It is a major commitment to the next generation of Seneca, allowing the company to enter new product markets and contributing to family wage jobs in the Eugene-Springfield community.
CONTACT: Casey Roscoe
Senior VP Public Relations croscoe@senecasawmill.com