Dad's Forest - Summary

Summary for Dad's Forest
Date Planted July 2007
Tree Species Lodgepole Pine
Soil Type Sandy Loam
Size The field is approximately 5 acres, though only 4.4 acres (more or less) of it have been planted for the purposes of creating Carbon Plus Credits for sale to Our Offsetters. The remaining area will be planted at a later date and will be used to offset our personal and business related carbon footprint.
Location Located on river flat land, this forest is adjacent to a large wetland complex and the banks of the Notikewin River, a tributary of the mighty Peace River. The forest is surrounded on three sides by naturally occurring trees and shrubs. The site is approximately one mile east of the small town of Manning, Alberta, Canada.
Plot
History		 This plot was cleared in the early 1940s and has been in cultivation for the years since. While the land is very fertile, the small size of the plot and the surrounding topography make it difficult and inefficient to farm. The relatively small size of this field meant that the large equipment used in conventional farming was constantly turning and overlapping the surface.  Overall, this led to inefficient use of synthetic fertilizer, fuel and pesticides, while at the same time contributing to excess soil compaction. This means that per unit of food produced, the inputs necessary were high, leading to a high environmental impact compared to larger fields. Combined with the forest's habitat potential as described above, this made the choice to convert it into a forest even better.
Name Origin Without the blessing of our Dad, our dream of launching The Carbon Farmer Inc. would not have been possible. We know it was difficult for him to let his prized cropland, which he has tilled his entire life, be transformed into forest. After much debate we got the ‘old man’ on board with our idea and in the end he even helped us plant the first seedlings! Like us, he ultimately wants the land and the farm itself to be sustainable for future generations to come. As a way of thanking him for all of his love and sacrifices for his family and the farm, we are proud to call our first forest, Dad's Forest.