Who We Are
What we can offer you as carbon offsets
We plant Loblolly Pine (Pinus taeda). Lots of them! We would like to plant some of them in your name and on your behalf. As with all carbon offset projects throughout the world, you will not "own" the trees or the land, you will however:
- Be sent digital photographs of the planting of the trees.
- Receive a document commemorating how you have contributed to the fight against global warming.
- Have a plaque with your name and any message you may want to add placed at the site of your stand of trees, upon your request.
AND...
This is what makes us truly unique! You can "visit" the trees you have provided, anytime you choose.
(This is an offer no other offset provider can or will) make.
You can actually travel to Louisville to see the trees planted in your name. Not only will you enjoy the viewing of your timber, you will also avail yourself of the most wonderful of Southern hospitality and food! "Y'all come" is a common phrase which is meant literally by most Southerners, but especially by we at The Mississippi Project, who would sincerely love for y'all to come !
BUT THAT'S NOT ALL
- If you so request, we will send you yearly photographic updates on the growth of your "stand of timber" as we call it in the business.
BUT THAT'S STILL NOT ALL
- We guarantee the trees we plant on your behalf. We do this by always planting 30% more trees than the total of each order. How can we make this guarantee? Because tree replacement is part of solid land management and solid land management is a primary consideration of The Mississippi Project.
Why do we plant one variety of tree?
We plant Loblolly Pine because it grows so well in our region. Loblollys are native to the southeastern United States and can reach a height of 100-115 feet with a diameter of 1.5 - 5 feet. They are fast growing and can form pure stands in abandoned fields, giving them the nickname of "old field pine." Loblolly Pines' resistance to fire damage gives them an edge over other varieties of tree in the south, where fires are not uncommon.
Loblolly Pine is grown for products such as sawlogs and pulpwood and is the primary species used by the paper industry. They also make beautiful specimen trees. The famous "Eisenhower Tree" on the 17th hole of the Augusta National Golf Club is a Loblolly. The story goes that President Eisenhower, an Augusta National member, hit this tree so many times while playing golf there that in 1956 while attending a member's meeting, he requested that the tree be cut down. Rather than address the issue of cutting down the tree, the club's chairman immediately adjourned the meeting. The subject never came up again and the beautiful Loblolly still stands!
Other benefits of Loblolly Pines
Trees help our world in many ways other than offsetting CO2 emissions and being useful economically. Wildlife are attracted to trees of all sizes. Many different species of animals utilize timber plantations. One of the goals of The Mississippi Project is to plant Loblollys as habitat for wildlife in such a way as to actually increase animal populations.
White-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus), gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis), fox squirrel (Sciurus niger), bobwhite quail (Colinus virginianus), and wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) all utilize Loblolly stands for shelter. Red-cockaded woodpeckers (Picoides borealis) use these trees for foraging habitat and nesting, as do the pine warbler (Dendroica pinus) and the brown-headed nuthatch (Sitta pusilla). Pine seeds are eaten for food by songbirds and small mammals.
Trees also prevent soil erosion. By stopping soil sediment from entering streams, our water resources will be cleaner and more suitable for fish and other aquatic species.
There are so many benefits to planting trees. Plant trees today — enjoy the benefits for many tomorrows.