U-Haul teams up with The Conservation Fund to plant trees

U-Haul, the largest do-it-yourself moving company in North America, and The Conservation Fund, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing conservation solutions that deliver both economic and environmental benefits, are celebrating a meaningful milestone: 1 million trees planted across the U.S. thanks to donations from its customers.

Beginning in 2007, U-Haul partnered with The Conservation Fund to offer its truck-sharing patrons the opportunity to plant trees and offset their moving-related emissions.

This collaboration has grown to include urban conservation and green economy opportunities — which are creating green jobs, reducing neighborhood flooding and providing safe places to play in underserved communities.

Millions of U-Haul customers have chosen to give back during the last 14-plus years, resulting in the planting of 1 million trees and the restoration of over 2,500 acres of wildlife habitat — an area more than twice the size of Chicago’s Lincoln Park — across 11 national wildlife refuges and four national forests in the U.S.

“Planting one million trees is a wonderful accomplishment and representative of the strong, continued collaboration,” said John ‘JT’ Taylor, president of U-Haul International. “We are committed to furthering these types of environmental initiatives to solve and support progress on climate solutions. Investment in America’s forests is one way to positively impact on our environmental ecosystems.”

In addition to planting trees, ensuring the permanent conservation and sustainable management of forests is one of the most effective strategies available now to combat climate change.

Customer support has helped in part to protect more than 60,000 acres of working forests across the country that provide timber products and jobs in rural communities, support water quality, maintain critical wildlife habitat, combat climate change and offer recreational access.

“U-Haul’s ongoing commitment to advancing positive outcomes for conservation and communities is a model for corporate social responsibility programs,” said Larry Selzer, president of The Conservation Fund. “By engaging customers and inspiring employees, U-Haul continues to create lasting benefits for people and the environment. Forests are one of the most important climate change solutions we have available right now because of the trees’ ability to absorb carbon dioxide. We are honored to partner with U-Haul and celebrate this significant milestone together.”

U-Haul customers have the opportunity to support tree-planting efforts during checkout at more than 23,000 truck-sharing locations. Every dollar that U-Haul customers donate to The Conservation Fund goes directly to important conservation efforts.

The partnership has helped build “Parks with Purpose” in half-a-dozen states.

“One Million. That’s how many U-Haul customers have become Heroes of Go Zero by electing to offset a portion of their move-related emissions at checkout with a contribution to The Conservation Fund’s Go Zero program,” said Lisa McCormick, a New Jersey environmentalist who said the program may not be ideal but it shows that innovative ways exist to save the planet from ecological harm.

“Since 2007, with this amazing business support, U-Haul customers have raised enough money to plant nearly 330,000 trees that will trap an estimated 400,000 tons of carbon dioxide over the next 100 years at six wildlife refuges nationwide,” said McCormick. “In addition to the national forests, these funds have supported urban planting projects furthering community revitalization and green economic development in cities across the nation.”