Six Nations Bureau Goes for Green

Like its Lanark headquarters, Plenty Canada’s satellite office in Six Nations of the Grand River is also committed to reducing its carbon footprint. The bureau is housed within the complex of The Bear’s Inn that features a 10-kilowatt microFIT system which generates more than enough clean renewable electricity to offset office operations.
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The grounds of the complex also feature a young forest that was planted nine years ago. Supported by grant resources dedicated to reforestation efforts in the community, Kayanase Ecological Restoration planted 1,362 trees of indigenous Carolinian forest variety in five acres of unused lawn. These varieties included black cherry, hackberry, red oak, bur oak, red osier dogwood, and swamp milkweed. Should forty percent of the trees survive, and natural reproduction occur as the forest matures, then in four decades this new forest will have sequestered approximately 544 tons (or 1,088,000 pounds) of carbon dioxide.

An additional 1,000 trees were recently planted on complex-owned lands north of HWY 54 and a charging unit for electric cars was installed in the office parking lot. Over time more renewal energy enhancements are anticipated.

Plenty Canada has had an active presence in the Six Nations and Niagara peninsula region for several years. The Great Niagara Escarpment Indigenous Cultural Map is directed from this office and the Landscape of Nations 360° Indigenous Education Initiative has included significant Plenty Canada involvement. The bureau has also served as base for extension activities associated with Guelph University’s Master of Conservation Leadership Program, connecting conservation professionals with Indigenous historic, cultural, and natural world locations.
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— Tim Johnson