Accor is reforesting the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia
News
January 2009Accor signed a partnership with American Forests,
an NGO specialized in reforestation. The Accor group is going to finance American Forests’s projects (...)Progress report
- 2,728 trees have been prepared since March to be planted as part of this project.
- 60 seed cards are being prepared for local school children.
Accor's commitment
The project is funded from the savings achieved in hotels in Canada and the United States: every time a towel is re-used by a customer, the hotels will pay 50% of the cleaning charge saved to support the project in the United States.
The project
In partnership with the NGO American Forests, Accor is reforesting the degraded areas along the river that run through the Monongahela National Forest in West Virginia. Restoring the riverbanks will improve water quality and rehabilitate the habitat of local species of fish, such as trout.
The project is being run in partnership with 20 state schools, the National Forest Service and the association, Trout Unlimited.
The planting
American Forests has linked up with regional nurseries to provide the seedlings. Planting take place twice a year, in April/May and again in September/October, with the help of 20 schools over approximately 40 volunteer days.
The tree species planted consist of local varieties such as Red Spruce, Serviceberry, and Dogwood.
The local benefits
Reforestation helps to restore the park's riverbanks, with a positive impact on the quality of water and the surrounding fauna and flora.
Awareness programs are run in the 20 schools participating in the project with, for example, planting kits given out to students.
Our NGO partner in the United States is American Forests
American Forests
American Forests is a leading NGO in planting trees for environmental restoration, a pioneer in the science and practice of urban forestry and a primary communicator of the benefits of trees and forests.
The NGO provide action opportunities to targeted audiences to enable them to improve their environment with trees. American Forests does this by using the best science to identify conservation issues, then develops and markets practical solutions that individuals and groups can apply.
American Forests' targeted audiences are individuals, community groups, government at all levels, educators, and businesses.
Testimonials
American Forests is proud to support Accor's environmental restoration efforts.
Studies continually show that more damage has been done to the Earth's natural systems in the last 50 years than in all of preceding human history. Over 80% of the world's forests have been destroyed or degraded - an incredible half of that in just the last 30 years alone.
So why should we care? Trees are an essential part of a healthy ecology. A healthy tree will absorb CO2 and remove air pollutants from the air we breathe. A mature tree can also absorb 36% of the rainfall it comes in contact with which translates into reduction of runoff and soil erosion.
Deforestation has a major impact on our global society – it accounts for 20% of the excess CO2 in our air, a leading cause of global warming. It is clear that we stand at an ecological tipping point; once crossed, it may prove impossible to return. American Forests is proud to support Accor's environmental restoration efforts.
Shawn BERRIMAN, American Forests project manager
