Operation Appleseed | Worthy Environmental

A Change in Focus

Operation Appleseed was shelved in 2022. Since that time we've received a number of questions about why we chose to change our focus. The link below opens a brief discussion of the objective of "Appleseed" and what was behind our decision to end the initiative. Thank you for your support!

Planting 1 Million Trees from Central Oregon to the Coast

Launched in 2019 with our initial investment of one million dollars, Operation Appleseed aimed to plant one million trees around the state of Oregon utilizing native, diverse species and targeting severe burn zones in forests between Central Oregon and the coast. We worked with the US Forest Service, private landowners and many local conservation groups to re-wild disturbed or managed areas, improving both biodiversity and habitat value.

However, due to both the covid pandemic and emerging science on the greater impact of preserving mature trees over planting new ones, we decided to pivot mid-project. We are proud of the 644,000 trees we got in the ground, but we've decided to follow the science and concentrate our efforts, and the remaining Appleseed funds, into CONSERVATION EFFORTS around the Western United States.

Completed Projects

Coast Fork Willamette Watershed Council

31,725 Trees

Projects: Camas Swale Restoration Neighbors Working Together, River Road Community.

Purpose: Planting 31,725 trees for rivers and wildlife. This site will be used as an outdoor classroom for Creswell and Cottage Grove area middle and high school students, tribal classes, and the location for regional bird walks.

Deschutes National Forest

204,390 Trees

Projects: Milli Fire, Whychus Creek

Purpose: Post-fire planting of 204,390 trees. The project will speed the recovery in burned areas and rewild the area affected by these wildfires. The project also seeks to protect watershed condition and wildlife habitat effectiveness.

Lincoln Soil & Water Conservation District

2,000 Trees

Project: Rock Creek Revegetation

Purpose: Planting 2,000 trees for rivers and wildlife. The creek supports populations of coho, chinook, steelhead, and cutthroat trout. Riparian conditions exhibit legacy effects from mostly open range livestock management, such as lack of riparian vegetation and eroded streambanks.

Long Tom Watershed Council

66,355 Trees

Projects: Bear Creek, Snag Boat Bend Floodplain Forest Restoration, Willamette Stormwater

Purpose: Planting 66,355 trees for rivers and wildlife. Public lands site with ADA access and benefits for salmon.

McKenzie River Trust

3,800 Trees

Project: Green Island Riparian Reforestation

Purpose: Planting 3,800 trees for rivers and wildlife. Reforestation of degraded habitat and conversion of invasive species monoculture to riparian forest.

McKenzie Watershed Council

7,145 Trees

Project: Dehne Riparian Enhancement

Purpose: Planting 7,145 trees for rivers and wildlife. Allows students to participate in restoration activities including invasive vegetation control, and planting native trees in shrubs while also participating in environmental education lessons.

MidCoast Watersheds Council

1,000 Trees

Projects: Bummer Creek, Little Lobster Creek

Purpose: Planting 1,000 trees for rivers and wildlife. The planting of native trees and shrubs adjacent to the creeks will help shade the streams to decrease water temperatures, provide a long-term source for large wood recruitment to restore stream complexity, curb stream bank erosion, and arrest further channel incision.

Middle Fork Watershed Council

1,200 Trees

Purpose: Planting 1,200 trees for rivers and wildlife. Removal of invasive species and the planting of native riparian vegetation. Plants will shade the stream, reducing water temperatures and improving water quality. Additionally, native vegetation has deeper and more complex root systems than the invasive grasses, so it will create more pathways for water to percolate through the soil and recharge the groundwater.

North Santiam Watershed Council

10,550 Trees

Project: Bear Branch Prairie Oak & Stream Restoration

Purpose: Planting 10,550 trees for rivers and wildlife. Supports long-term stream shading, large wood recruitment, and wildlife corridor/habitat.

Oregon Natural Desert Association

10,500 Trees

Projects: Cottonwood Canyon State Park (Hay Creek), Pine Creek Conservation Area (Pine Creek), South Fork Crooked River (The Jake Place)

Purpose: Planting 10,500 trees for rivers and wildlife. Restores native fish habitat and improves the climate resilience of nine miles of desert streams.

Portland Audubon Society

1,000 Trees

Project: Tenmile Creek Sanctuaries

Purpose: Planting 1,000 trees for rivers and wildlife. Protection and conservation of priority areas identified in Oregon’s Conservation Plan.

Siuslaw Soil & Water Conservation District

21,000 Trees

Projects: Fiddle Creek Focus Area Restoration, Tenmile Creek Plant Est.

Purpose: Planting 21,000 trees for rivers and wildlife. Will improve water quality flowing into Siltcoos Lake, which is a drinking water source for residents of Dunes City. Recent blue-green algal blooms have threatened public use, heightening concern regarding land management practices on the surrounding landscape.

Siuslaw Watershed Council

9,000 Trees

Project: Native Plant Distribution

Purpose: Planting 9,000 trees for rivers and wildlife. Increase community awareness of watershed issues; encourage citizen environmental stewardship; promote volunteerism in rural Oregon.

South Santiam Watershed Council

12,900 Trees

Projects: Bentz Neal-Bileu Creek Riparian Reveg, Crabtree Creek Riparian Revegetation (Doerfler Oxbow, Hafner Oxbow, Henry Oak), Springbank-ODriscoll Riparian Reveg, Upper Thomas Creek Riparian Reveg

Purpose: Planting 12,900 trees for rivers and wildlife. Long-term stream shading, large wood recruitment, nutrient and run-off buffering, wildlife corridor/habitat.

Sunriver Nature Center & Observatory

4,000 Trees

Project: Project Ponderosa

Purpose: Planting 4,000 trees for rivers and wildlife. Working with students from Three Rivers School and La Pine High School's Life Skills Program in planting areas where soil compaction and erosion are problems. The tree and shrub diversity will also benefit native wildlife including birds, insects, and mammals by providing new habitat for foraging, shelter, and nesting.

Wetlands Conservancy

1,000 Trees

Projects: Oxbow and Starr Creek Preserves

Purpose: Planting 1,000 trees for rivers and wildlife. Adding forest cover to current stand of native forest as well as establishing willow patches along the riparian zone.

Discover Your Forest

110,294 Trees

Projects: Jones Fire, Whitewater Fire

Purpose: Post-fire replanting of 110,294 trees. Speed recovery in the burned areas and rewild the area affected by these wildfires. The project also seeks protect watershed condition and wildlife habitat effectiveness.

Trout Unlimited

1,200 Trees

Project: Pringle Falls Riverside Planting

Purpose: Planting 1,200 trees for rivers and wildlife. Streamside habitat restoration in the Upper Deschutes Watershed.

Calapooia Watershed Council

12,185 Trees

Project: Truax Island Floodplain Restoration

Purpose: Planting 12,185 trees for rivers and wildlife. The floodplain restoration area is neighbored by gravel ponds populated by Western Pond Turtles (threatened). The planting effort will provide higher quality nest habitat by incorporating micro-nesting habitats within the planting rows that will be more difficult for predators to locate and destroy. These micro-nesting habitats will later be seeded with low statue native grasses, compatible with turtle nesting requirements.

COMPLETED PROJECTS