The Wright Perspective - Fall/Winter 2022

FALL/WINTER 2022 A biannual update for employees and friends of the Wright Service Corp. family of companies.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Wright Service Corp. Leadership Excerpt Ownership Corner Community Involvement

Wright Tree Service Leadership Excerpt Project Spotlights Community Involvement

Wright Tree Service of Canada & ArborCare

Wright Outdoor Solutions & Verdure Elements

Leadership Excerpt Project Spotlights Community Involvement

CNUC Leadership Excerpt Project Spotlights Community Involvement

Terra Spectrum Technologies Leadership Excerpt Project Spotlights Community Involvement

Sustainable Environmental Consultants Leadership Excerpt Project Spotlights Community Involvement

Spectrum Resource Group Leadership Excerpt Project Spotlights Community Involvement

Wright Foundation for Sustainability and Innovation Grants

Project Updates

Transcon Environmental

Page 4 Page 4 Page 5 Page 8 Page 10 Page 10 Page 10 Page 12 Page 16 Page 18 Page 18 Page 19 Page 21 Page 24 Page 24 Page 24 Page 25 Page 28 Page 28 Page 29 Page 29 Page 30 Page 30 Page 31 Page 33 Page 34 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39

SUSTAINABILITY: A PRAGMATIC OPPORTUNITY

By Austin Kennedy, President

Sustainability requires that we harness our scientific and business knowledge to achieve two allimportant and connected objectives—first, the profitable growth of our business and, second, the eventual decarbonization of our business.

To arrive at this unified goal, our business needs to view sustainability as a pragmatic opportunity. Sustainability is part of how we create our competitive advantage and enhance our pricing power. As is the case with any significant and worthwhile change, our march toward reducing our carbon footprint will be long, gradual and require hard choices. But with each passing year, we will establish credible benchmarks to help improve our performance. Ultimately, our dedication to the sustainable operation of our business will allow us to leave our business and our planet better than we found them so that future generations can profit and prosper as we have.

A REVISED MISSION, VISION, VALUES

As a company, we felt a need to revisit our current mission, vision and core values. These provide a focal point that aligns everyone within Wright Service Corp. (WSC) and ensures we all work toward a common purpose. These tenets guide our decisions, increase productivity and help us allocate resources effectively.

Our vision shows where we’re heading.

We have simplified our mission. While the impact and meaning are still complex, we have found that a focus on environmental stewardship and sustainability is the basic foundation we are trying to establish. There is power in purpose within our business. This drives action in everything we do as operating companies and you do as employees.

Working toward our mission and vision – WSC is built on a solid foundation of our beliefs and core values.

and COO

We believe that people are the key to our success. The journey toward our vision is long and will constantly challenge the status quo. We must keep our minds open and seek new knowledge in everything we do. While we realize these statements can be powerful, they can be meaningless when they are not backed up by action. That is why we have formed three workgroups to continue down the path we started a few years ago and lead us to future success. Our three strategies include:

1. Profitable Growth – Key Strategy

Leader: Austin Kennedy

• Expand Market Segments

Geographically

• Profitably Grow Environmental Services

• Develop New Products & Services

• Enhance Bottom Line Profitability

2. Risk Management – Key Strategy Leader: Kyle McCann

• Enhance Contract Administration

• Manage Supply Chain Issues

• Navigate Climate Change

• Minimize Cyber Security Risks

3. Infrastructure Development

Strategy Leader: Jon Hicks

• Transform Technology

• Recruit & Retain Talent

– Key

• Improve Merger and Acquisition Integration

• Effectively Communicate

We will strive to remain transparent and straightforward about the future of our organization. We hope you continue to communicate the mission, vision and core values when you are interacting with your fellow co-workers, connecting with clients, and engaging in conversations with our communities.

OWNERSHIP CORNER

OWNERSHIP MONTH

October was Employee Ownership Month, and the Employee Ownership Committee celebrated all month long.

New this year, digital and printed bingo cards were distributed to engage and educate employees on all things employee ownership.

The committee hosted a Golden Ticket Broadcast where more than 200 employee owners joined to learn more about the Employee Stock Ownership Plan (ESOP) and Deferred Share Unit (DSU) plan.

EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP COLORING CONTEST

In September, the Employee Ownership Committee announced the winners of the 5th annual Employee Ownership Coloring Contest! Employees were encouraged to share the contest with someone close to them and have them draw a picture of their favorite employee, doing what they believe the employee does at work.

We want to thank everyone who had someone submit an entry. We had

great participation from our family of companies.

Congratulations to the winners in each category:

• Age 3-4, Ivy Larkin, granddaughter of Wright Service Corp. Payroll & Billing Data Administrator Elisa Mortensen

• Age 5-6, Nicholas Harris, grandson of Wright Tree Service General Foreperson Jeff Harris

• Age 7-9, Ellalou Louiselle, daughter of Wright Tree Service General Foreperson Steven Louiselle

• Age 10-12, Catie Christenson, daughter of Wright Service Corp. Director of Training & Development Rose Christenson

• Age 16+, Danny Jones, husband of Wright Service Corp. Social Media & Digital Marketing Specialist Kaari Jones

"Blue smiley is Grammy, an upside down tree, and the brown Wright service building. Grammy’s work is important because she’s working. I want to see Grammy." – Ivy Larkin

– Nicholas Harris

"My Grandpa cutting down a tree. It’s important because there are powerlines and the power is going out."

"My dad and his team are lifting wood into a pile. He is giving water to all his friends because it is hot. Another friend is climbing to trim a tree." – Ellalou Louiselle

Top Ranked

WSC was recently named one of the largest employee-owned companies in the U.S., according to the National Center for Employee Ownership. WSC is the 26th largest majority employee-owned company in the country.

WSC is proud to be employee-owned since 2002 and 100% employee-owned since 2006.

OWNERSHIP CORNER cont.

EMPLOYEE OWNERSHIP COLORING CONTEST

" When disaster strikes, the company is there to save the day. Moreover, Kaari is there to market the services and share with the world what good the company has done. No matter the problem, Kaari is there to help. Saving Trees. Saving You." – Danny Jones

ESOP Community

WSC and Employee Ownership Committee members continue to support the ESOP community through donations to the Employee Ownership Foundation and with the development of a Central Iowa networking group.

Committee members continue to participate in the Iowa/Nebraska chapter of The ESOP Association events and conferences, and national conferences.

"Look at the drawing and read the sentence with the matching number. 1. Training and development helps wright, by creating a base for the company to build on, much like tree roots. 2. Tree staking is similar to teaching or training the trees so it may properly grow as a tree, similar to how the training and development team trains others to develop as an employee. 3. Tree branches represent how a tree, or a company can grow with what is there to support it." – Catie Christenson

EMPLOYEE OWNER OF THE YEAR AWARD

Congratulations

to the 2022 Wright Service Corp. Employee Owner of the Year, WSC Business Systems Administrator II Sarah McFadden.

OWNERSHIP CORNER

EMPLOYEE OWNER OF THE YEAR AWARD

cont.

The award recognizes an employee within the WSC family of companies who is an outstanding citizen, exhibits the characteristics of an employee owner and the values of our company, and makes contributions in the best interest of the company.

The Employee Ownership Committee reviewed all the nominations and selected six nominees to move forward through the judging process. A judging panel consisting of management across companies ultimately selected Sarah to be named this year’s Employee Owner of the Year.

Payroll and Billing Manager Alison West surprised Sarah with the news and awarded her with a framed certificate.

Sarah has been with WSC for four years, residing in West Des Moines, Iowa.

She is currently the co-chair of the Employee Ownership Committee and carries out our mission, “To contribute to the success of our family of companies by advancing and strengthening our culture of ownership through education and communication.” The committee has grown to 20 members and now includes sub-committees to better support our goals of outreach and engagement. The Committee includes perspectives from across our family of companies and works to improve understanding of what it truly means to be an employee owner.

Sarah has developed a Central Iowa Networking Committee which consists of other employee-owned businesses in the area to build a community where all employee-owned companies can get together to network and share ideas outside of conferences.

Watch the surprise and hear what her nominator had to say.

As this year’s winner, Sarah will receive a special invitation to the Annual Awards Banquet, a $500 check, an engraved award and recognition on the WSC website and this section you're reading in our newsletter. Nominations for the next Employee Owner of the Year will open in September 2023. For more information, visit wrightservicecorp.com/employeeowner-of-the-year

Educational Trainings

The Employee Ownership Committee hosts ESOP educational training. Interested in scheduling a training? Reach out to your supervisor to schedule one with the committee. We encourage divisions to schedule training annually.

SharePoint Site Coming Soon

Stay tuned as we’re launching a SharePoint site for ESOP resources and announcements this winter.

FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA

Wright Service Corp.

Resources

Visit wrightservicecorp.imagerelay. com/fl/WSCESOPResources for internal resources such as:

• Broadcast Recordings and Announcements

• Employee Milestones

• ESOP Guides

• ESOP FAQs

• How to Access Your Principal Account

You can find training on how to read your statement on Wright Service Corp. University in English and Spanish.

Another great resource is the ESOP Association’s website, www.esopassociation.org

A DSU sub-committee is being established for our Canadian employee owners. If you’re interested in joining, email dsu@wrightcanada.ca

GIVING BACK TO THE LOCAL DES MOINES COMMUNITY

TOUR DES TREES

This year’s weeklong Tree Research and Education Endowment Fund (TREE Fund) Tour des Trees bike ride took place in September. During their stop in Des Moines, participants, friends and family came together to plant two oak trees in memory of Will Nutter and John Harsch.

Will Nutter was President of Wright Tree Service and also served as Chair of the TREE Fund Board of Trustees. John Harsch was President of Sustainable Environmental Consultants. Both men passed away last year in separate vehicular accidents.

Wright Service Corp. CEO Scott Packard stated, “The trees planted in memory of Will Nutter and John Harsch will be a lasting tribute that benefits those present here today and for future generations. Oak trees are regarded as durable and strong with a root system that grows to almost mirror their height. Both Will and John grew an extensive root system with their families, friends, and the companies and communities they served.”

Following the memorial planting, employees joined the rest of the participants for a 70+ mile day ride. Along the route were two aid stations with WSC volunteers to feed, hydrate and support the group.

ANNUAL HUNGER FIGHT

Our team members had a great time volunteering with Meals from the Heartland during their 15th Annual Hunger Fight event. During the four-day event, our two teams packaged a total of 47 boxes for a grand total of 1,692 bags or 10,152 meals!

ADOPT-A-ROAD CLEAN UP

With the assistance of our Community Involvement Committee, WSC adopted a nearby stretch of road on Raccoon River Drive from Grand Avenue to S. 88th Street. We hosted two successful cleanups – one to celebrate Earth Day in April and another in August.

BLOOD DRIVE

In August, WSC hosted our annual blood drive in partnership with the American Red Cross. Employees volunteered to facilitate donor check-in and also participated as donors. In total, 38 units were collected – including 27 employee donations.

On the Move

Dean started his forestry career in 1992 and has taken on a variety of roles in silviculture, planning, permitting, certification, harvesting, management, and most recently serving as the vice president and general manager of Spectrum Resource Group.

Rose Christenson – Promoted to Director of Training and Development, Wright Service Corp.

5K RUN / WALKS

Employees and their families participated in the Iowa Resource for International Service (IRIS) Peace Day 5k Walk/Run this fall. IRIS is a nonprofit, non-religious organization that conducts programs which bring students, journalists, businesspeople, educators and government leaders to Iowa from around the world.

More than 20 employees and their families supported Kinship Brewing Company’s second annual Fighting Through Kinship 5K to support breast cancer previvors and survivors and their families. All proceeds went to local nonprofits Can Do Cancer and Iowa Army of Pink.

Within two and a half years with WSC, Rose has built a strong training and development team serving the career development, skills development and online learning needs across our family of companies. Her work includes a strong focus on leadership development, business skills, learning management and the LEAD Program.

Julie Leigh – Promoted to Director of Recruiting & HR Compliance, Wright Service Corp.

In Julie’s eight years at WSC, her contributions to the growth and development of the team have been many, including building the initial recruiting team from scratch and promoting the value of HR through strong partnerships with our operating companies.

GOLF OUTINGS

This summer, WSC team members attended two golf outings in support of local and national charities. Coaches vs. Cancer Charity Golf Classic raised funds for the American Cancer Society. Golf FORE! The Kids supports ChildServe, an Iowabased organization improving the health and well-being of children.

Dean Marshall – Promoted to Vice President of Canadian Operations, Wright Canada Holdings

family tree

Our Finding A Sustainable Solution for Saws

By Nick Fox, Vice President of Operations

Over the span of my nearly 25-year career, I have witnessed a major evolution of our primary tool – the chainsaw. Perhaps the most exciting change has been the shift toward sustainability.

The first trim saw issued to me in 1998 was a rear-handle model that weighed in at nine pounds. Since then,

trim saws have become safer, lighter, more efficient, and more sustainable. Wright Tree Service (WTS) knows the importance of implementing these improvements in the field. In 2021, WTS began the transition to a fleet of batteryoperated trim saws. Full implementation is expected to take a few years.

The trim saw utilized on our job sites today is 40% lighter than the one I climbed with in 1998. The batteryoperated saw produces zero emissions and provides a more efficient cutting experience for our team members.

I recently spoke with Walt Rose, Manager of National Sales and Business

Development from Husqvarna, and he summed it up best. “The battery saws provide an impressive combination of power (compared to a comparable gas product), precision, and excellent maneuverability, all with zero emissions,” said Rose. “These products provide professional performance while eliminating the hassle of gas. Start with a push of a button, experience less fatigue, less vibration and low maintenance.”

With our core values of safety and innovation in mind, WTS will continue to seek sustainable solutions for our crews, and I am eager to see our industry evolve over the next 25 years.

Wright Tree Service of Puerto Rico Celebrates 1 Year

WTS is proud to commemorate one full year of service in Puerto Rico. The new division was established in partnership with LUMA Energy and became official on October 19, 2021. This expansion enabled WTS to continue providing safe, reliable power to the people of Puerto Rico while also bringing 200-250 new career opportunities to the area.

“As a company, we are thrilled to have the opportunity to serve the people of Puerto Rico,” said Division Manager Ever Acosta. “This expansion is just one example of how Wright Tree Service works hard to deliver on our values. We are committed to our customers and the communities they serve. The entire team is looking forward to continuing to keep Puerto Rico safe and providing them with reliable power.”

WRIGHT

New Leader Helms New Division

Due to company and customer growth in the northeast, WTS started the new fiscal year with a new division. Division 27 was formed in October and includes West Virginia, Pennsylvania, New Hampshire and Maine.

Glenn McCann has been hired to lead Division 27. As division manager, he will preside over the territory and ensure success of the contracts within that region. Glenn joins WTS with more than 25 years of experience in utility operations, including vegetation management and safety. Prior to WTS, he held positions specializing in fleet, lines operation, forestry service, and most recently managing distribution vegetation for several states. He holds a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering and is a member of the Utility Arborist Association.

“This new division is a sign of the tremendous growth we’re seeing at Wright Tree Service,” said Vice President of Operations Nick Fox. “We are fortunate to have been able to hire Glenn McCann to lead this new division, and we welcome him to the Wright family. I’m confident the division will be successful. Glenn’s leadership will be key to maintaining safe operations and providing high-quality work and customer service to our clients.”

Letter of Appreciation from Hoopa Valley Tribe in Hoopa, California

“On behalf of the Hoopa Valley Tribe in the far northern region of California, I would like to express my sincere appreciation for all that Wright Tree Service has done for our community. Not only is your work extremely valuable in preventing catastrophic wildfires within our area, but your crews here locally, under the leadership of Carlos Cisneros, have gone above and beyond to help elders in our community remediate risks to their homes through the removal of hazardous trees. These families and the Tribe have very little resources to be able to remove these problem trees otherwise. On top of that Wright Tree Service has provided so many of our local families with a steady source of employment that has allowed our young men to thrive while supporting their families in a very positive manner. In a community with such a high level of poverty and lack of positive role models, it has been great to see transformation in the lives of these community members through the opportunities provided by Wright Tree Service. These young men and women are not only supporting their families and the community, but many of them have become great role models for our future generations, and for that we are thankful. In closing, I want to encourage Wright Tree Service to keep up the great work and again thank you for all that you bring to our community."

OUR VISION

» WTS will continue to be recognized by utilities as providers of the highest levels of quality, service, responsiveness, reliability and value.

OUR MISSION

» To enable gas and electric utilities to provide reliable service to their customers by ensuring that transmission and distribution lines are clear of vegetation.

» To provide attractive value appreciation to our employee owners.

» To provide team members with an environment that enables them to achieve their personal and professional goals.

» To make a positive difference in the communities we serve.

OUR VALUES

» SAFETY It is everyone’s responsibility – we each own it.

» INTEGRITY We abide by the highest ethical standards.

» EXCELLENCE We continually strive to exceed our customer’s expectations — and our own expectations.

» TEAMWORK It is how we operate and we hold each other accountable.

» INNOVATION We anticipate our clients’ needs and we deliver creative services & solutions.

» FAMILY It is our foundation; it is who we are.

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Division 27

Tour des Trees

WTS Vice President of Operations Jerry Black biked across Iowa in this year’s Tour des Trees annual bike ride. Jerry rode one, 80 mile day to support the Tree Research and Education Endowment Fund (TREE Fund). Tour des Trees is a long-distance cycling adventure that raises funds to support the TREE Fund and its efforts in public outreach and community engagement. Special to this year’s ride, the TREE Fund, in tandem with Wright Service Corp., planted and dedicated a red oak tree in downtown Des Moines to honor Will Nutter, the late President of WTS.

Saluting Branches

In September, more than 40 WTS employees from six divisions around the country took part in the annual Saluting Branches event. Saluting Branches is a nonprofit organization that provides vital care to the properties dedicated to our U.S. veterans. Through this work, Saluting Branches has brought together the green industry and made an impact with community volunteering. The event helps fill the void of the significant need for tree care and landscape care at over 130 veteran cemeteries.

Thank you to all WTS employees who took the time to help keep these cemeteries clean.

Celebrations for 150th Anniversary of Arbor Day

In April, our industry observed the 150th anniversary of Arbor Day. Several WTS employees marked the occasion in their local communities.

General Forepersons Raymond Wolken and Jeffrey Ziebell, Project Manager Mitch Frye, Crew Leader Cody Laird, Trimmers Justin Stumpter and John Speight, and Groundworkers Tyler Athon and Frank Chapman took time to plant 12 eastern red cedar trees together in Kansas City, Kansas.

"Arbor Day has always been a special day for our industry and our companies," said Frye. "Planting trees on Arbor Day is a way to give back to the community and our planet."

Also, to commemorate Arbor Day, Division Manager Afton Stanko, General Foreperson Randall Dejager, Safety Supervisors Chad Berlin and Kristian Michael Schutz, and Crew Leader Michael Shilling took the time to set up a climbing demonstration in Wildcat Park in Joplin, Missouri, to allow the public an opportunity to ascend a tree using professional climbing gear. The WTS team demonstration provided all attendees a fun, educational and interactive experience!

“There were tons of smiles and laughter going around all day,” said Stanko. “We had several grateful and appreciative comments, with many sharing how exciting and educational the event was. It was definitely a blessed day.”

SUBMIT A SAFETY SUGGESTION

At WTS, safety is our number one value. If you have a safety suggestion, compliment, concern or general comment, we invite you to submit it to our safety suggestion box. Find it online at www.wrighttree.com, or use your smartphone to open the QR code above. The code will direct to the safety suggestion box, allowing you to submit your suggestion easily from your mobile device.

Our GF School

GF School is a weeklong program where WTS employees participate in a variety of trainings and hands-on exercises to build a solid foundation to be more effective at their position. The goal of GF School is to educate and train our GFs to build a strong and productive workforce.

In April, June, September and October of 2022, 87 WTS employees gathered at the corporate office in West Des Moines, Iowa, for GF School. Congratulations to all participants!

CENTRAL DIVISION

• Jonathan Cote

CENTRAL SOUTH DIVISION

• Tracy Bunton

• Kevin Hough

• Noah Killion

• Stephen Lee

• Dakota Nixon

• Steve Olson

• Tommy Pearson

• Robert Potarf

• Corey Wilson

• Ray Wolken

NORTH DIVISION

• Andrew Blackman

• Justin Bruce

• Robert Lawlyes

• Clayton Lorenz

• Bradley Masson

• John Mollison

DIVISION 25

• Mark Ecker

• Michael Kosciuszko

• Irving Ramos Sanchez

MOUNTAIN STATES

DIVISION

• Dillon Daoust

• Jason Finuf

• Carney Steele

• Cheyenne York

PACIFIC DIVISION

• Chad Andrews • Caleb Bolda

• Hannible Childress • Taylor Doherty • Pedro Hernandez • Mark Rodriguez

WTSW • Lee Neithercutt

SOUTHEAST DIVISION • Edward Barber • Russell Bray • Chad Chaney • Kaleb Edwards • Austin Kobernick • J Felix Romero

DIVISION 45 • Raul Claros

• Shawn Holcomb

• Michael Johnson

• Michael Lopez

• Seth Shelton

SOUTHWEST DIVISION

• Ronald Gilbert

• Dylan McCarthy

• Salvador Ramirez

• Juan Rodriguez

• Antonio Villanueva

• John Viramontes

• Brian Walker

DIVISION 55

• Cory Fisher

• Kendall Kincaid

• Steven Loiselle

• Juan Orduna Elias

Class of April 2022

• Joel Rendon

DIVISION 85

• Benjamin Arnold

• Santos Medina Mangual

• Emmanuel Ortiz Santiago

• Alfonso Serrano

DIVISION 87

• David Craddock Jr.

• Jeff East

• Mario Hernandez Romero

LONE STAR DIVISION

• Donaldo Ortega

• Jose Rodriguez

• Martin Sandoval Jr

DIVISION 65

• Gustavo Garay

• Ricardo Midence-Alberto

MINNKOTA DIVISION

• Herman Ohr

• Philip Radel

DIVISION 80

• Bacilio Alcala Jr

• Jose Rodriguez Asad

• Jose Cortes Jr

• Jorge Cuellar

• Rodolfo Lopez

• Camren Fuqua

• Tyler Kirkpatrick-Thomas

• Richard McConnell

• Rustin Peck

WTS OF CANADA

• Chris Dropko

• Melissa Ghadially

• Sheldon Kincaid

SAFETY EDUCATION AND TRAINING

• Joel Rosario

• Gary Thacker

• Saul Villa

RISK

• Juan Contreras

• Brandt Jelken

• Daniel Thacker

• Paul Wendzel

PM School is a weeklong training for WTS employees that are general foreperson level and above. The goal of PM school is to offer various learning opportunities for those wanting to advance within the organization. In June, 24 WTS employees gathered at the corporate office in West Des Moines, Iowa, for PM School. Congratulations to all participants!

South Health Campus Hospital Tree Planting Project

By Nicole Mychasiuk, Arborist – Outside Sales

In the spring of 2021, ArborCare ® received an estimate request from the South Health Campus Landscape Manager regarding issues with some of the trees on their property.

When walking the grounds of the campus, it became evident that the same species of trees were planted throughout the entire property, and they were all sick with the same disease. The aspen and spruce trees were all diagnosed with cytospora canker. This is a common disease on spruce and aspens in our Canadian region that is caused by stressors such as drought, winter injury and other factors. Unfortunately, there is no cure for cytospora canker. The only treatment options are fertilizer and maintaining a regular watering schedule to help with the stress, or removal and replanting.

The recommended treatment plan was to start with our plant management program, which includes spring and fall fertilizer applications and insecticidal soap sprays to help manage the softbodied insects. After the first season with our plant management program and an increase of watering for the trees, there was a noticeable difference in the overall health of many trees on the property.

Most of the trees needed to be replaced and over time, every aspen on the property will have to be replaced, as well. A common mistake made is planting the same species around the entire property; if one gets sick, unfortunately, they all get sick.

In the summer of 2022, ArborCare planted 17 mature trees in replacement of the diseased aspens and spruce. The tree species that were planted around the property included white spruce, Siberian larch, Hoopsii spruce, Colorado spruce and prairie spier green ash.

We plan on working with the South Health Campus in their future endeavors to replace the trees on their property over the next several years, giving them a more diverse range of tree species.

This was an exciting project to work on because our plant management program helped bring new life to the sick trees and in turn the South Health Campus Hospital is on a new path with its landscaping around the hospital.

WRIGHT TREE SERVICE OF CANADA & ARBORCARE

Tsuut'ina Nation Reserve Partnership

ArborCare and Wright Tree Service of Canada have teamed up with Tsuut'ina Nation Reserve members to do power line clearance for Enmax on their reservation. Through this partnership, we are also working to employ qualified candidates for various positions across Canada. Labour shortages are a common issue within our region, so the ability to employ qualified candidates in the future is exciting for both parties. This fall, our team attended an open house at Tsuut'ina Nation for tree trimming work on the reservation.

Saskatoon Block Pruning

Our team has been working closely with the Urban Forestry department in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, with block pruning. To date this year, we have completed two neighbourhoods including Nutana West and College Park. These neighbourhoods have approximately 1,500 elm trees.

Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta

In September, ArborCare donated trees and shrubs from Foothills Nurseries for several Calgary homes constructed by Habitat for Humanity Southern Alberta. Employees were able to assist in the planting process. In the last three years, we have donated approximately $12,000-$15,000 worth of trees and shrubs.

Wright Tree Service of Canada Division Manager Chris Gamache presenting at the Tsuutʼina Nation Open House

Tree trimming at the Tsuut'ina Nation Reservation

DIGGING IN

Letter From the General Manager

By Jennifer Anderson, General Manager

Wright Outdoor Solutions (WOS) is approaching our 95th anniversary being in business. Our history began in 1928, and so much about the company has changed over those 95 years. Our employee count has risen, our services have grown, and our geographic footprint has expanded. Yet, so much remains the same. Our roots are still

strongly grounded in our values, and those values continue to serve as the roadmap on our way to achieving our mission and vision as a company.

The last few years, the environment and sustainability of WOS has taken a big step forward. We have put a lot of emphasis on this area of our company. Over the last year, we’ve been working on documenting all the great things we’ve been doing as a company in the area of environmental sustainability, and we’ve assembled it into our firstever corporate social responsibility (CSR)

report to showcase how we’re delivering the highest level of professional, safe and environmentally conscious services and solutions to our industry and the communities we work and live in.

If you haven’t read the report yet, we invite you to read it through. If you’ve already read the report, we hope it has been informational and helpful in learning all about what we’re doing to keep sustainability at the forefront of our company. Keep an eye out in 2023 for our second report.

Jason Brauckman Promoted to Des Moines Area Manager

Congratulations to Jason Brauckman who was promoted from account manager to Des Moines area manager. In this position, he will oversee several departments, including arbor, mulch, land clearing, plant health care and lawn applications, and holiday lights and décor. Among many of Jason’s goals for the new position, he will work toward attracting and retaining quality workforce and creating a cohesive team and family culture.

Jason’s tenure with the company started in 2004, when he began working for the company as a chemical applicator. At the age of 24, Jason became the youngest Board Certified Master Arborist in International Society of Arboriculture history. He also holds a degree in commercial horticulture from Des Moines Area Community College. He started his career in the green industry at age 16, working for a family friend’s tree service company, where he caught on quick and found it fun and interesting.

WRIGHT OUTDOOR SOLUTIONS

Moss Installation: Pella Bookstore

This fall, we were fortunate to work with a quaint local bookstore on a moss installation that was designed by our team to enhance their customers’ shopping experience as they shop from the main level to the lower level. Combining several varieties of moss colors and textures with flowing movement within the art piece, it makes for an unforgettable experience. It turned out to be such a statement piece and makes for a vivid backdrop to the fun array of books and gifts in the shop.

VISION

· To be the industry leader throughout the Central Midwest region, investing in our expertise, modernization and capital

· To provide the highest quality service and products to our customers

· To provide attractive value appreciation to our employee owners

· To provide team members a home that enables them to achieve their personal and professional goals

MISSION

To create beautiful environments

VALUES

Brand Refresh: A New Look

This August, we rolled out a refreshed look and feel of our brand, which included an updated website, new business cards, a new design on our company vehicles, and more. We feel the brand is a representation of where we are as a company and how we continue to work to create a company that our clients and employees are proud to be a part of.

SAFETY It is everyone’s responsibility – we each own it.

INTEGRITY We abide by the highest ethical standards.

EXCELLENCE We continually strive to exceed our customer’s expectations – and our own expectations.

We earn it from our customers and from each other.

It is how we operate we hold each other accountable.

It is our foundation; it is We anticipate our clients’ needs and we deliver creative We create it by leaving a positive impact on places

Landscaping & Maintenance

This patio project from the summer transformed this homeowner’s yard and allowed it to become an extension of their indoor living area, creating additional space for entertaining, relaxing and dining. Our team did a great job designing this space to help create a calm and relaxing environment. Black mulch and a variety of green plants were used for a fresh, clean design.

Dreams of a cozy, private gathering space came to life in this residential patio and landscape design. Complete with an immaculate fireplace, ample seating, log storage and lush plant life, this timeless and functional space will be enjoyed in the company of loved ones for years to come.

Interior Plantscaping Installs

Area businesses count on the interior plantscaping teams to bring their plant dreams to life! No project is too big or too small for our talented professionals.

Seasonal Containers

Our seasonal container installations continue to be the perfect welcoming touch to greet guests at the front doors of homes and businesses.

Bickford Senior Living Hops & Hot Rods

WOS team members volunteered their time during Bickford Senior Living’s 3rd annual Hops & Hot Rods event in August. Team members prepared and served the food while residents were up close and personal with some vintage cars.

Urbandale Chamber Young Professionals Panel

In April, General Manager Jennifer Anderson spoke to the Urbandale Chamber of Commerce’s Young Professionals group, genYP, during their CEO panel discussion. Jennifer chatted with the Urbandale young professionals about leadership, career paths, cultivating great company culture, and more.

FORE! Our Parks Golf Tournament

Account Manager Ryan Burlingame, Shop Manager Brandon Patava, Staff Accountant Mike Schatzke and Area Manager Jason Brauckman had a great time at the FORE! Our Parks Golf Tournament in June, hosted by Friends of Des Moines Parks. The tournament helps raise money to support the Des Moines Parks and Recreation programs.

BOMA Golf Outing

Account Managers Ryan Burlingame and Amy Lenning, and Landscape Operations Manager Jim Altwegg had a great time at the BOMA Golf Outing in July.

Tour des Trees Plant Donation and Ceremony Holiday Decor Shout Out

Another year in the books helping Holmes Murphy & Associates deck out their headquarters with holiday decor. They even gave us a special shout out on their Facebook page!

In September, WOS team members donated and helped commemorate a red oak and white oak tree to honor Will Nutter, the late President of Wright Tree Service, and John Harsch, the late President and Founder of Sustainable Environmental Consultants. A special thank you to the TREE Fund for helping make this event special during the fourth day of their annual Tour des Trees bike ride. And thank you to City of Des MoinesGovernment Council Member Josh Mandelbaum for sharing a few words as the trees were planted.

Omaha Chamber Business on the Green

Our team had a “hole” lot of fun sponsoring a hole at this year's Business on the Green hosted by the Greater Omaha Chamber. Business on the Green is the Greater Omaha Chamber’s annual 18-hole bestball scramble to support the Chamber.

Along the Lines

Urban Forestry – Working Toward a Better Community

By Rich Hauer, Director of Urban Forestry

I am excited to have recently joined the CNUC family. While urban forestry might be listed as a new service line, it is not really new at all. Urban forestry and arboriculture are foundational to CNUC and Wright Tree Service. Both are rooted through utility forestry, which is one of three urban forestry sectors. Urban forestry through commercial arboriculture is also a core sector through Wright Outdoor Solutions and ArborCare. In fact, there are so many important synergies to build upon within the Wright

Service Corp. (WSC) family of companies that expanding urban forestry through communities and municipalities is a reasonable place to grow.

Branching off the excellent work already being done into a dedicated municipal urban forestry service line is not only exciting, but a logical next step. For example, much expertise exists with WSC in collecting tree data as a basis for planning through utility forestry. Several municipal tree inventories have occurred by the partnership as a subcontract and recently through successful work led by CNUC. Accordingly, CNUC and the WSC family of companies have much expertise with collecting information and then building this into useful

knowledge for decision-making. We have assessed millions of trees for planning.

That being said, what does the future hold as we build and expand upon the urban forestry legacies that WSC is based on?

Continuing to conduct tree inventories is important as this data to plan upon is vital for communities. Taking this to the next level and developing management plans and recommendations for communities is an essential next step. Over the next several months, more details will appear as we refine and prioritize our goals for the near future and beyond. The future is bright as we establish, build, and maintain #Treelationships as friendships through trees with communities throughout North America, including Canada.

Working on Island Time

By Sarah Lilley, Regional Supervisor

Earlier this year, the CNUC Research and Development (R&D) team was hired to complete a review of a utility vegetation management program for one of our clients in Hawaii. While CNUC has experience completing UVM program reviews across the United States, this was unique in its remoteness, dispersed service territory and diversity of utility forest.

Alan Hoffman and Lead Consulting Utility Forester (CUF) Garrett McRoberts (regularly serving California) were asked to complete a field assessment of vegetation conditions on the client’s system. Alan grew up on the island of Kauai and Garrett had years of experience previously working on the islands. This knowledge, along with

WRIGHT OUTDOOR SOLUTIONS CNUC

them both being certified arborists, made them the perfect fit for this opportunity. After sample points were randomly selected and mapped out using GIS, Alan and Garrett were tasked with visiting these sites across five Hawaiian Islands.

While the hard work was being completed in the field, the rest of the R&D team worked on the other aspects of the program review: conducting interviews with staff and contractors, reviewing program documents and benchmarking their program against our UVM survey. With Alan and Garrett on Hawaii Standard Time, multiple team members across the mainland U.S., and some vendors located as far away as Australia – virtual meetings for this project posed a unique scheduling challenge.

The report is currently being finalized, and the project will end with its submittal and follow-up presentation to discuss key findings and recommendations. The research and development team is looking forward to opportunities on the horizon which may require assistance from qualified CNUC employees in other divisions. We’ve enjoyed being able to help another utility improve its practices, and to learn about the unique difficulties they face.

VISION

CNUC is the premier company in providing innovative, economically sensible and environmentally sustainable vegetation management services.

MISSION

>> To assist our clients in achieving compliant, effective, efficient, and defensible utility vegetation management programs.

>> To provide attractive value appreciation to our employee owners.

>> To provide team members with an environment that enables them to achieve their personal and professional goals.

>> To make a positive contribution in the communities we serve.

>> To provide appropriate strategic support to our parent and sister companies.

>> To drive the industry in the areas of technology and knowledge.

VALUES

SAFETY – It is everyone’s responsibility – we each own it.

INTEGRITY – We abide by the highest ethical standards.

KNOWLEDGE –

Jay Manganaro elected to Board of Directors for PVMA

Congratulations to Regional Manager Jay Manganaro on being elected to the Professional Vegetation Managers Association (PVMA) Board of Directors in Alberta, Canada.

PVMA was originally founded to increase public concern over environmental issues. Now with over 200 members, PVMA aims to educate its membership base on the best vegetation management practices.

EXCELLENCE–

INNOVATION –

FAMILY – It is our foundation; it is who we are.

TEAMWORK – It is how we operate and we hold each other accountable.

We maintain a peerless understanding of our industry.

We continually strive to exceed our customer’s expectations – and our own expectations.

We anticipate our clients’ needs and we deliver creative services and solutions.

Randy Miller Awarded UAA Utility Arborist Award

Director of R&D Randall H. Miller was awarded this year’s UAA Utility Arborist Award at the Trees & Utilities Annual Conference in September.

"It is deeply gratifying," said Randy. "I have been dedicated throughout my career to advancing professionalism in utility arboriculture, and I can think of no higher honor than to be recognized by my peers for my contributions."

"Randy much deserved this award," said CNUC President Derek Vannice. "He has been the consummate professional utility arborist throughout his career and is passionate about the profession. He has authored the Study Guide and the IVM BMP, which are the standards for our entire profession. We congratulate him on this achievement and are proud to have him as a part of the CNUC family."

CNUC Receives UAA Silver PinE Award

The UAA recognized CNUC as a 2021 PinE Award winner (silver category). As stated on the UAA website, "Companies that go above and beyond to support our mission will be recognized annually. UAA membership, sponsorship, advertising, active committee volunteerism, and many other means have been quantified and assigned a value, all adding up to equal your PinE Score. This is reviewed by a committee of industry peers based on all of the listed items for the previous fiscal year and is scored and awarded at the UAA Annual Meeting."

We are proud to receive this award and recognition from our industry peers!

Tour des Trees 2022

Tour des Trees has become a tradition we look forward to each year. The annual long-distance bike tour serves as the primary public outreach, community engagement, and fundraising event for Tree Research and Education Endowment Fund (TREE Fund). CUF Karen Jenkins, Lead CUF Tom Ordway, Regional Supervisor Michelle Chaffee, Vice President Matthew Searels, Director of R&D Randy Miller, and Manager of R&D Phil Chen made the 440+ mile trek in six days, biking across Iowa and Nebraska this September. By the end of the week, CNUC riders raised $26,540 collectively to donate to the TREE Fund.

Thank you to our employee participants who exemplify CNUC’s values of Knowledge, Innovation and Teamwork. Your passion for new knowledge in arboriculture and urban forestry, along with your physical grit while cycling, truly make us proud to have you as part of our CNUC family.

SPECTRUM STANDARD

Living our Values Through Service Learning

By Travis Yordi, Vice President and Chief Architect

All Terra Spectrum Technologies (TST) employees share a bond in our love of the outdoors and our desire to live and work more sustainably. From hiking, fishing, cycling, hunting, camping, and even field training, we all look forward to our time spent outside. This is why we are incredibly gratified by the environmental aspects of our work.

This year, we wanted to support the spirit of stewardship at a personal level for our staff. We offered all employees a company-paid membership to the environmental organization of their choosing. At the community level, we encouraged our folks to utilize their annual volunteer hours to get involved locally. These contributions of time and money will help to build and improve habitats, maintain parks and trails, and clean up our oceans. We are proud of our employees’ dedication and impact.

Nathan Jones Promoted to Senior Technology Consultant

Nathan Jones has been promoted to Senior Technology Consultant.

Nathan joined TST in 2015 with a strong background in vegetation management. Beginning his career as a production arborist in the private sector, Nathan had spent considerable time coordinating operations for UVM contractors previous

to joining TST. Nathan has a bachelor’s degree in forestry from Colorado State University (CSU), a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Regis University in Denver, Colorado, and a graduate certificate in Geographic Information Systems from the University of Denver. He is also an ISA Certified Arborist and Utility Specialist. He is committed to engaging clients at the field level to ensure that both implementation and operation of software is seamless.

Congratulations, Nathan!

Expanding into Puerto Rico

By Nibaldo Urzua-Hermosilla, Technology Consultant

At the beginning of 2022, TST started work for a new client in Puerto Rico. We knew this partnership would bring new challenges and amazing opportunities for us to learn and grow.

I remember having our first FieldNote® demo meeting at their office in Puerto Rico. After hearing about the way they were currently working and demonstrating our software, our team immediately saw how we could make a real difference for them. I’ll never forget how their faces lit up during this presentation! In April 2022, we officially kicked off the training sessions in Puerto Rico. We started by training all their work planners and general foreperson, and then we continued with the crew leaders.

The trainings were held in-person or virtually on Teams. We continue to lead one-on-one Teams sessions periodically to support our users with complex functions, such as the FieldNote Perspectives and Update Builder. Since we began, we have trained more than 40 individuals. Training

sessions wrapped up the first week of November.

I interact regularly with personnel, fielding direct inquiries and assisting work planners weekly as they get up-to-speed on the interface. I personally believe we have fostered a great relationship with our partners throughout this process. Training all these individuals this year has been very rewarding. It has allowed me to use my previous experience in the field, which has given us a common language and more credibility with those we train.

I have gained a lot more confidence in introducing people to FieldNote but more importantly, I feel really accomplished seeing their faces and knowing how it will make their work more efficient and easier.

As the year comes to a close, TST looks forward to introducing this powerful tool to other organizations in North America.

VISION

Terra Spectrum Technologies is a leader in providing innovative, high quality software specializing in geospatial data collection and workflow management.

MISSION

// Provide simple, streamlined and scalable software that exceeds our clients’ expectations

// Have comprehensive knowledge of the clients and industries that we serve

// Have a positive influence on the communities we serve

// Deliver attractive value appreciation to our employee owners

// Give team members the training and opportunities needed to enhance their professional development and technical knowledge

// Provide knowledge and technical support to clients with only in-house staff

VALUES

Security: We protect our customers’ data as if it were our own.

Tour des Trees

In September, Technology Consultant Nibaldo Urzua-Hermosilla rode across Iowa in his first-ever Tour des Trees. Tour des Trees is an annual long-distance cycling adventure that serves as the primary public outreach and community engagement event to advance Tree Research and Education Endowment Fund’s (TREE Fund) mission to explore and share the science of trees contributing to the lives of people, communities, economies and the environment, and of the planning, planting, and sustainability of urban and community trees. By the end of the week, Nibaldo raised $2,3450 to donate to the TREE Fund.

“Tour des Trees was a very remarkable experience for me,” Nibaldo said. “At the start, I didn’t really know what to expect, but everyone was so warm and welcoming. I met so many wonderful people, who also share a passion for trees and biking. I am already looking forward to riding in the 2023 Tour des Trees in Lake Tahoe.”

Innovation: We anticipate our clients’ needs and we deliver creative services and solutions.

Knowledge: We understand and adopt the latest technology trends.

Excellence: We continually strive to exceed our customer’s expectations – and our own expectations.

Integrity: We abide by the highest ethical standards.

Teamwork: It is how we operate and we hold each other accountable.

Family: It is our foundation; it is who we are.

SUSTAINABLE ENVIRONMENTAL CONSULTANTS

Continuing the Conversation on Sustainability

By Sara Crawford, Ph.D., President

Sustainability is part of our name, so it’s safe to say our team is passionate about it. Since joining Sustainable Environmental Consultants as president earlier this year, I have been constantly impressed by our team’s laserlike focus on showcasing agriculture as a climate solution and providing innovative sustainability solutions. Our reach continues to grow beyond agriculture as well to serve clients in all parts of the supply chain. With the global discussion around climate change solutions growing daily, the ability of Sustainable Environmental Consultants to grow and make a difference is unlimited and our employee owners are up to the challenge. As a team we are excited where the conversation is headed and are always keeping sustainability, one of our main values, top of mind. Implementing sustainable practices, such as natural fertilizer, farmers saved nearly 10,000 (9,178) metric tons of NPK (nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium) runoff from entering local watersheds and ecosystems.

Angie Krieger Joins the Team

Angie Krieger, Vice President of Operations

Angie Krieger joined Sustainable Environmental Consultants as vice president of operations in September. A lawyer by trade, Angie holds over 20 years of experience in the agriculture industry. As vice president of operations, Angie works closely with Sustainable Environmental Consultants president, Dr. Sara Crawford, to create and implement the strategic vision of the company and ensure that current and future operational needs are met.

Prior to joining the Sustainable Environmental Consultants team, Angie

served as vice president of operations for National Pork Board (NPB) and was responsible for implementation and on-going leadership of organizationwide initiatives. Preceding her role at NPB, Angie was the director of animal welfare at JBS Live Pork and held various positions at Cargill Meat Solutions Corporation including that of lawyer, strategic account manager in hog procurement and regional supply team leader. Angie’s professional experiences have touched every aspect of the pork supply chain, from farm to table.

Angie grew up around agriculture with her father and both grandfathers being farmers. She always knew she wanted to pursue an education and career in the industry. After attending Oklahoma

State University where she earned her Bachelor of Science degree in animal science, Angie went on to earn her Juris Doctor from the University of Nebraska. She is a current member of the American Agriculture Law Association and holds professional animal auditor certification organization (PAACO), Pork Quality Assurance ® Plus (PQA Plus) and transport quality assurance (TQA) certifications.

“I get excited about serving others and helping them reach their business goals by eliminating barriers and improving processes to make them as efficient as possible,” said Angie. “The future of sustainable agriculture is bright – I see endless possibilities for the betterment of a worldwide growing population and our planet.”

Sustainability for America’s pork producers is about doing what’s right for people, pigs and the planet. For more than five decades, the producers represented by the National Pork Board (NPB) have been continuously improving the sustainability of pig farming. Sustainable Environmental Consultants started working with the NPB in spring 2021 with the goal of helping pork producers tell the story of how they are living out their We Care® Ethical Principles. The We Care commitment was launched in 2008 as a way to promote responsibility across every aspect of pork production. Developed by pig farmers and operated by the NPB, the National Pork Producers Council and the state organizations representing pig farmers, We Care serves as a promise to continuously evaluate and improve production methods.

Sustainable Environmental Consultants’ goal is to work with NPB to collect, aggregate and share the proof points from farms across the country that show how pig farmers are improving the sustainability of pork. At the onset of Sustainable Environmental Consultants and NPB’s relationship, there were several early adopters volunteering as pilot farms within the program.

The program is ongoing, and statistical results will be reported on in future newsletters. Once reports are created, each producer will receive:

• An annual farm focused report that turns science into sound bites to share with their family, landowners, community, bankers, processors, customers, etc.

• Carbon Footprint Calculator results

• Streamlined upload of data to We Care app

• Confidential data

• Continuous improvement support

• Identification of potential carbon market opportunities

• Assistance to locate funding opportunities for practice adoption and efficiencies

VISION

Sustainable Environmental Consultants is a leader in providing innovative solutions to better the planet.

MISSION

Recognize the responsibility of organizations and individuals to be leaders in protecting our environment. We desire to provide transformative sustainability solutions that minimize risk for our customers, our communities, and our planet.

VALUES

National Pork Board Project Summary FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL

SAFETY It is everyone’s responsibility –we each own it.

INTEGRITY We abide by the highest ethical standards.

TRANSPARENCY We take pride in our independent authentication process of reliable traceability.

SUSTAINABILITY We value action over definition when it comes to sustainability because it’s our passion.

RESPECT We exhibit it toward our team, our customers and the environment.

COLLABORATION We recognize we will move the needle on sustainability only through partnership and cooperation by many.

INNOVATION We anticipate our clients’ needs and we deliver creative services and solutions.

FAMILY It is our foundation; it is who we are.

MEDIA

FreshPure® Waters

Project Summary

FreshPure® Waters is a water filtration company that installs and maintains self-serve water filtration and dispensing systems in grocery stores and co-ops to provide customers with purified drinking water. They are focused on providing a high quality and sustainable source of drinking water that reduces single-use plastic consumption by promoting the use of reusable water containers. FreshPure partnered with Sustainable Environmental Consultants to conduct a life cycle assessment of its current infrastructure and operations with the goal of estimating the current efficiency of FreshPure’s operation at converting resources, such as energy and water, into purified drinking water, and to provide a baseline for reducing their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and water use. FreshPure was looking to enhance their understanding of their environmental footprint to provide to their clients and better share their story of their bulk water service offering in comparison to single use drinking water options on the market.

The primary focus of Sustainable Environmental Consultants life cycle assessment report focused on two areas of concentration:

1. Baseline Carbon Footprint

This report provided a baseline assessment for reducing FreshPure’s GHG footprint and water use to provide an inventory of direct and indirect GHG emissions and water use corresponding with current operations, while also highlighting potential areas where GHG emissions and water use may be reduced using alternative practices, improved technology and increased efficiency.

2. Water Bottle Comparison

This report provided an environmental assessment of the FreshPure supply chain and operations compared to conventional singleuse water bottles. Emissions included electricity, fuel, shipping, travel and water filter components.

After Sustainable Environmental Consultants provided the results of their data, FreshPure used the information to guide their communications and long term sustainability strategy.

RESULTS

kg

Baseline Carbon Footprint

Figure 1.

Water

Bottle

Comparison When compared to emissions from single-use water bottle producers, FreshPure’s corporate emissions were lower than published emissions values. On average, single-use water bottles have a greenhouse gas (GHG) footprint of 1,063 g CO₂e/gallon of water.

Gardening for Good

Team members rolled up their sleeves for a volunteer day at Iowa Gardening for Good. We helped harvest vegetables which will be distributed to local food pantries and other partner agencies in the Des Moines area. In 2020, Iowa Gardening for Good grew over 150,000 pounds of vegetables to be donated to local food pantries!

Tree Planting to Honor John Harsch

In September, our team gathered in Downtown Des Moines to dedicate a white oak tree to honor our late founder, John Harsch, along with the late President of Wright Tree Service, Will Nutter. In attendance were coworkers across our family of companies, family members of both John and Will, and members of Tree Research and Education Endowment Fund (TREE Fund). John started Sustainable Environmental Consultants in 2008 with a vision and passion for sustainable practices and regenerative agriculture, which remains at the core of our company today.

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SPECTRUM RESOURCE GROUP INC.

Indigenous Resiliency through Partnerships

By Eric Nijboer, Operations Director

One of Spectrum Resource Group’s prerogatives is the sustainment of Indigenous community resiliency through sincere, mutually beneficial partnerships.

Spectrum recognizes that building resiliency to external pressures, such as climate change and economic and social forces, is key to sustaining Indigenous communities and their members’ traditional ways of life.

At its most profound level, partnerships with Indigenous communities enable Spectrum to support and sustain the community members’ ability to remain and thrive in their traditional territories.

Spectrum assists Indigenous community members directly by providing meaningful and local employment, providing mentorship and skill sets that are transferable to other aspects of their lives, and sincerely embracing these folks into the Spectrum family.

One of Spectrum’s recent Indigenous partnerships was the inclusion of a community member from the McLeod Lake First Nation. Tyler Vallee worked hand-in-hand with one of our project managers, Mike Kozak, to help develop a revegetation plan for a section of the Coastal GasLink pipeline right-of-way north of Prince George. One of the focuses on this project was to select traditional use of native plant species for revegetation. Examples of traditional use plant species include blueberry, high bush cranberry and diamond willow in high use traditional areas.

Without sincere consultation, collaboration and engagement from our industry, Indigenous communities may struggle to sustain themselves and their traditional ways of life into the future. Spectrum will continue to make Indigenous partnerships a priority at the core of our business.

Tyler Vallee working with one of Spectrum’s project managers, Mike Kozak.

A New Meaning to "Working from Home"

By Nathan O’Reilley, Department Coordinator - Canada, East/Project Manager

Over the last 10 years of my career working for Spectrum Resource Group throughout British Columbia and Alberta, I have always wondered if one day it was possible for Spectrum to obtain work and set up shop on the east coast, my home province. This July, that idea became a reality.

For the last three months, Spectrum has been working on a brushing project in Saint John, New Brunswick, for NB Power. NB Power is a crown corporation owned by the Government of New Brunswick responsible for the generation, transmission and distribution of electricity in the province. This is Spectrum’s first contract on the east coast. This work includes line clearing any vegetation that has the potential to grow into the limits of approach (LOA) – a safe distance that people, equipment or vegetation can be maintained before being exposed to dangerous energized power lines.

This project consists of a total area of 251 hectares (620 acres) of land clearing that begins in Coleson Cove (a thermal generating station) and ends at Point Lepreau (a nuclear generating station) along the southern coastline of New Brunswick, west of Saint John. This work is completed using brush cutting saws –a power tool used to cut through saplings, thick brush and conifers.

Spectrum started operations in early July. Before work began, a long seven-day drive across the country with equipment, a truck, trailer, a side-by-side and my young family was completed. After seeing the scope of this work a few weeks into the project, an additional truck was driven across country with two ATVs for support.

Spectrum’s east coast team currently consists of 10 field staff from all over New Brunswick. Some of this crew has previous experience in forestry-related work while the rest of the crew has been trained on-site. The crew leader of this project, my brother, Brendan O’Reilley, has previous experience with Spectrum helping with wildfire risk reduction projects across BC.

Over the last three months, a lot has been learned and many challenges have been overcome. Although difficult, the experience of working in New Brunswick, closer to home, closer to family and in very familiar areas from my youth, has been rewarding and exciting.

This is just the beginning for Spectrum on the east coast with great potential to work and expand in all four of the east coast provinces – New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland. I certainly look forward to my involvement and the great potential Spectrum has to provide vegetation management solutions on this side of the country.

VISION

Spectrum Resource Group aims to be the leading integrated vegetation management provider in Canada.

MISSION

To deliver the highest level of professional, safe and environmentally conscious integrated vegetation management solutions to the industry, public and our communities.

To invest in employee development to provide new and innovative services adding mutual value to our clients and vendors.

VALUES

SAFETY It is everyone’s responsibility – we each own it.

SOCIAL

RESPONSIBILITY

We support activities that benefit our employees and add value to their communities.

ENVIRONMENTAL

SUSTAINABILITY We strive to protect and improve all ecosystems.

INNOVATION We anticipate our clients’ needs and we deliver creative services and solutions.

INSPIRATION We provide a safe, healthy, caring and productive work environment to energize, engage and inspire our employees.

FAMILY It is our foundation; it is who we are.

ON THE MOVE

This summer, Spectrum had our first project in Ontario, led by Project Manager Ashli Oe. The primary objective of this project was to treat an invasive tree species known as buckthorn within city-owned parks. In addition to this work, we treated medians to control vegetation growing through the cracks in cement which can pose a risk to the city-owned infrastructure. This project has provided the opportunity to learn the legislation in Ontario and build an employee base that will enable future growth of the company's operations in Ontario.

This crew is working on a project to address invasive species such as buckthorn, honeysuckle and Japanese Knotweed along the Thames River Corridor.

London Ontario Project New Service Line: Utility Asset Management

Spectrum has added a new service line called Utility Asset Management (UAM). This includes structural integrity inspections and treatment of wood pole assets, overhead drone condition assessments, in-house GIS mapping and asset data collection, stubbing and pole replacement.

One of the first UAM projects was surveying over 5,600 wood power line poles in the Northwest Territories that needed to be tested and treated. These poles were located across nine remote communities, ranging from Fort Smith to Inuvik, practically the Arctic Ocean!

Operations Director

Eric Nijboer Department Coordinator

Jesse Bazergui – Wildfire Fighting

Jennifer Davy – Wildfire Risk Reduction

Matt Drew – Tree Falling and Wildlife Danger Tree Assessments

Mike Kozak – Silviculture Liability

Ashli Oe – Industrial

Nathan O’Reilley – Canada, East –New Brunswick

Eric Torres – Timber Development

Breanne Truman – Forest Health & Silviculture

Project Manager

Alicia Smith – Timber Cruising

GRANTS

WFSI Awards $200,000 in Grants for Tree Canopy Improvement and Regenerative Agriculture

their derecho-recovery granting program, Planting Hope, into a sustainable fund to support tree canopy restoration after storm events in Iowa and Illinois. Additionally, a portion will support Growing Futures, their teen workforce development and tree planting program currently serving Des Moines and Cedar Rapids.

$50,000 was awarded to the Green Iowa AmeriCorps program through the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) Foundation to work with 22 partner organizations including Trees Forever, K-12 school districts, County Conservation boards and others to plant trees in urban, suburban and rural communities throughout Iowa with the goal of strengthening the state’s tree canopy in underserved locations. Tree planting will be carried out by 120 AmeriCorps members in collaboration with volunteers with the goal of planting 1,500 trees in targeted communities. The program will focus on Iowa communities impacted by climate disasters, including flooding events, tornadoes and the 2020 derecho, and communities and neighborhoods that lack tree diversity and tree equity in public and right-of-way spaces.

Two organizations received the first awards for the John Harsch Regenerative Agriculture Grant, named after the late John Harsch, a founding board member and director of WFSI.

Wright Foundation for Sustainability and Innovation (WFSI) is pleased to announce the grantees for its second grant cycle, focused on improving the tree canopy and best regenerative agricultural management practice adoption in the Midwest. WFSI has awarded a total of $200,000 to five organizations in Iowa and Minnesota including: Friends of Des Moines Parks, Trees Forever, University of Northern Iowa Foundation, The Nature Conservancy and Land Stewardship Project.

“We identified five organizations committed to stewardship and sustainability that align with our vision to drive real, high-impact change for good,” says Scott Packard, WFSI chairman. “We could not be more excited to empower projects enhancing tree canopy restoration which increases natural habitats for birds and insects while improving air quality and stormwater improvements. Plus, support soil health programs for farmers adopting practices to rebuild organic matter in the soil, restore biodiversity, sequester carbon, and conserve and protect water.”

The Friends of Des Moines Parks will use their $50,000 award to plant 100+ trees across four urban parks to replace urban tree canopy lost during the 2020 derecho, and address heat island abatement while adding a food forest to the park system. The parks include Evergreen Park, Cohen Park, Witmer Park and MacRae Park, specifically at the Bancroft Basin.

The $25,000 awarded to Trees Forever will go toward broadening

The Nature Conservancy was awarded $50,000 to bring together local soil and water conservation districts with private crop consultants, agricultural retailers and custom farm service businesses to provide soil health services to new farmers. The project will result in a new method to engage new producers with soil health, activate existing networks to be soil health advocates and establish a system that sustains soil health practices at a scale well beyond the dependence on cost-share practices. Soil health data will be collected, and participants will be trained in low-cost, replicable soil health testing.

Land Stewardship Project will use the $25,000 award for their soil health program that was launched in 2016 supporting farmers throughout Minnesota and neighboring states to adopt farming practices that rebuild organic matter in the soil, restore biodiversity, sequester carbon and conserve and protect water. Their approach combines direct education in regenerative practices, advocating for policy that incentivizes statewide and national adoption of these practices, and building a community around farmers driving the soil health movement on the local level.

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Wright Foundation for Sustainability and Innovation

Five organizations in the Midwest received grants for tree planting projects and improving soil health practices.

Trees Forever PROJECT UPDATES

Trees Forever was awarded funds following WFSI’s two grant cycles. The funding supports programs like Planting Hope to provide trees to derecho-affected communities on a first-come, first-served basis. The organization hosted a tree giveaway in Nevada, Iowa, distributing 400 native trees, and in Clinton, Iowa, 600 trees found new homes.

Another Planting Hope project focused on the City of Marshalltown, Iowa, where over 100,000 trees were damaged or destroyed in the derecho storm. In an effort to replace what was lost, a total of 114 trees were planted at five buildings in the Marshalltown Community School District. Species include oaks, elms, maples, and American sweet gum trees, among others. WFSI representatives were honored to attend the kick-off tree planting event on Monday, September 18 alongside Trees Forever with support from Marshalltown Parks and Recreation, Green Iowa Americorps, students and other volunteers.

Friends of Des Moines Parks

Volunteers assisted the Friends of Des Moines Parks during their tree planting event in May. The project was funded by a grant from the Wright Foundation for Sustainability and Innovation. The event — aimed to help improve Des Moines' tree canopy — took place at Easter Lake Park along the Easter Lake Spine Trail with the trees dedicated to the late John Harsch, a founding member of the foundation. With over 50 volunteers, including several of our own employees, 120+ trees were planted in no time!

"I had so much fun learning how to actually plant a tree!" said Marketing and Communications Coordinator Emily Croston. "It was a great time getting out into the community and getting our hands dirty on a Friday afternoon for such a good cause. I am excited to watch all the trees we planted grow and flourish!"

Thank you, Des Moines Parks and Recreation and Trees Forever for their help with training and supplies!

Letter From the President

By Christy Holmes, President

During a summit this summer, we defined our company's mission, vision and values. This exercise helped us understand Transcon has always focused on the three pillars of sustainability. Prior to that, we would have told you we checked the box for environmental sustainability but questioned the others. After analysis, the picture is clearer: a company so focused on employee retention that we collectively accomplished 19 goals related to it (check: social sustainability). This year, we also overhauled how we track financial performance with dashboards and metrics, resulting in financial gains and a path for success (check: economic sustainability). We are excited to incorporate this into Wright Service Corp.'s Sustainability Initiative Project.

Erin Rogers

Loren Loo

Read Our 2021 Sustainability Reports

Did you know? We released seven sustainability reports for Wright Service Corp. (WSC), CNUC, Sustainable Environmental Consultants, Terra Spectrum Technologies, Wright Canada Holdings, Wright Outdoor Solutions and Wright Tree Service. These are our first steps to publishing a corporate social responsibility (CSR) report.

WSC is a unique and complex family of companies in environmental services, with a number of sustainability initiatives taking place across the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada. As an industry leader, we wanted to utilize these reports to tell our unique story – one of an evolving and innovative organization. Like any other company or organization, we continue to learn from our past and make improvements for the betterment of our employees, clients and the communities we serve. As a 100% employee-owned company, our employees are at the forefront of every decision we make and it’s our employees who are behind the success of our family of companies.

Scan the QR code or click this link to access all seven 2021 reports and start reading.

Scanning a QR Code

1. Open the camera app on your phone.

2. Point your phone at the QR code to scan it.

3. Tap the pop-up banner link.

Want to provide feedback? Visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/ WSCCSRFeedback