Meet Our Team

He/him. I began my tree planting journey in the summer of 2014. Since then, I have worked on and off for a total of 5 summers in the industry. After planting what I thought was going to be my last year in 2018, I was pulled towards another season due to covid in 2020. I discovered the Co-op through some mutual friends and it completely changed my perspective on tree planting and the opportunities that come with cooperative ownership. 

I have a newfound passion in social economy, and I am so grateful for the experiences and knowledge that have come with my past two years working for New Roots. Beyond excited to continue working with this extremely talented and dedicated team to expand and change the sector.

She/They. Growing up on the traditional territories of the Musqueam, Squamish, and Tsleil-Waututh (Vancouver, BC), and having long been captivated by tales of my father’s storied planting career in the 70s and 80s, I began my own tree planting journey in 2016. From a young age my father instilled in me the importance of community building and sustainability while my mother taught me many hands-on skills and shared her love of life in the bush. I’m grateful for their influence and teachings that have helped bring me to the co-op today. Working with New Roots Worker Cooperative has allowed me to actualize these skills and values and to plant the seed of optimism: a sense of a path forward in a world long overdue for a transformation. I hope to bring my knowledge in conflict resolution, communication, harm reduction and advocacy work to the co-op to help set an example for how we can do things differently in the forestry industry – by putting people over profits. 

I started doing forestry work six years ago during my undergrad and have been nurturing a love~hate relationship with it ever since. After nearly leaving the industry for good, I came to the co-op in search of an avenue to continue in the planting industry without the frustrations of existing in an exploitative working environment. 

With a background in Public Policy and experience in the non-profit sector, I’m grateful to have the opportunity to engage with industry politics and support a horizontal model of governance. Being part of the co-op has given me renewed motivation to continue building community and improving our standards as workers, friends and allies.

He/Him. NRWC Board of Directors. I’ve been involved in silviculture for almost a decade. I originally joined Tree Amigos Contracting – the precursor to New Roots – because I saw a small company with room to grow. In the time since, I have contributed to the emergence of New Roots Worker Co-op, as a worker, founding member, and director. As a planter, I wanted my voice to be heard, and for the decisions affecting my working conditions to come from within rather than above. As a leader of this company, I want to see our model replicate itself throughout the industry to increase workers’ share in ownership, to focus equity and sustainability in workplace policy, and to demonstrate the value of cooperation in action.

(He/him). NRWC Board of Directors. In 2018, near the end of a lengthy undergraduate degree at Concordia university (where I studied sociology), I started tree planting, and within the first week of the job knew I was in it for the long haul. I’ve worked in three other tree planting companies since I started, but I’ve always come back to the co-op. I became a member when I started in 2018, and subsequently was elected to the board. I am fortunate to have experience in the cooperative model from my time at Concordia, and in the off-season I work in a cooperative incubator whose founding members facilitated the transition of NRWC from its former identity as a sole proprietorship (Tree Amigos Contracting Inc.). Planting at the coop gives me something to look forward to every year. I enjoy the time I get to spend with all of my coworkers and fellow members, and I’m excited to see what directions we take for the future! 

They/Them. I was raised by a family of small-business owners on the beautiful traditional territory of the Mi’kma’ki Wabanaki peoples (Nova Scotia). According to my parents, I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit, but in discovering the cooperative business model I began to see how it is a solution to many of the challenges my family faced trying to work within a traditional business model. I began my bush work career at age 12 helping out on the Christmas tree lots of Lunenburg County and haven’t looked back since. 

Today I am happy to be using my experience in the industry as well as my knowledge in sexual assault prevention and survivor advocacy, harm reduction, conflict mediation and auto mechanics to organize along side the team at New Roots in our efforts to create a safe and effective work environment within the forestry industry.

He/him. I have spent the past 5 years planting, being exposed to many of the pros and cons that the industry has to offer. Through this time, I have developed a love of the work that we have the opportunity to do, and have become a stalwart defender of worker’s rights. It is important to me that workers have the information they need to be able to navigate the industry safely. Over the years, I have developed a better understanding of some of these aspects, and through my work at the co-op, and more specifically, on the social council, I have refined that understanding.

She\her. Born and raised on the unceded lands of Tiohtià:ke/Montreal. My silviculture journey with the coop began in the spring of 2020 at the start of the pandemic, when preventive measures across Canada had me carpooling with complete strangers. I can now call them good allies in this industry. 

Realizing that our sense of values ​​and work ethic were in sync, I simply jumped into this form of cooperative organization, where I found a desire to bring justice and equity between planters. 

Having democratic management and transparency as pillars of our governance are undoubtedly practices that I am grateful to be part of. My fields of studies are in sustainable development and public communication, but recognizing that a 9-5 job was not suitable for me, I try to follow my passion and pursue a career at sea. So in between the tides, I’m looking forward to being a part of this growing and inspiring New Roots Workers’ Co-op.

~Although I’m mostly here just to be the first paired on the Bluetooth truck radio to listen to some good vibes ♫

Founding member. I began my tree planting career in 2014 at age 16 on a particularly challenging summer-plant East of Prince George BC, where I produced a consistent # of trees over the course of the season. I spent two seasons planting before a two year-hiatus to attend college (audio engineering degree), after which I returned and have been contributing to the co-op ever since. 

Around 2014, while working with Dani, I experienced the seeding of the idea of the co-op. I’m grateful that the idea was able to take roots and grow into what it has become today; a strong organization where members are valued for their contribution.

While not currently active at the committee level, you’ll find him in various support roles depending on the needs of the co-op: equipment, checking & safety protocols

She/her. As the former owner of Tree Amigos Contracting Inc, I spearheaded the original project with the late Benjamin Prunty, a foundational cooperative organizer. I’ve spent 18 years in the Silviculture industry. Having sat on almost every committee and worked in every aspect of the work-environment; from planter, to cook, to admin, to crew lead, to tree runner … I have quite literally tried it all! Jill of all trades, master of none.

Doing something that has never been done before is like building a bus while you are driving it. It is exhilarating, dangerous, precarious, fun and requires trust.  I have never been more proud to be part of a team, and one that works not in lip service, but in actual results.

I have loved every second of my time building the coop, even despite having a real rough time getting through 2020-2022 in my transition to motherhood. To everyone who has ever been involved with Amigos or New Roots – thank you for the gifts and lessons you have brought. Thank you for your energy and unique awareness. Thank you doesn’t really do service to the sentiment I have, but there is a word in the language of the people which does, and it is Kukwstsétsemc

Founding member. In the Cariboo, circa 2016, I put my first tree in the ground for 11 cents. In 2018, we incorporated the Co-op, and since then I have focused on how to impact the silviculture sector to the benefit of workers and the outcomes we produce. While earning my B.A. in economics from Bishop’s University, Lennoxville Quebec, I became fascinated with the Cooperative model, and how it could simultaneously benefit workers and clients. Since our worker-members are stakeholders in the enterprise and benefit directly from its profitability, clients can count on higher quality and care of work than from other companies in the silviculture sector. I look forward to continuing our mission to improve working conditions, and outcomes for better forest stewardship and wages for all!

He/Him. NRWC Board of Directors. I’ve been involved in silviculture for almost a decade. I originally joined Tree Amigos Contracting – the precursor to New Roots – because I saw a small company with room to grow. In the time since, I have contributed to the emergence of New Roots Worker Co-op, as a worker, founding member, and director. As a planter, I wanted my voice to be heard, and for the decisions affecting my working conditions to come from within rather than above. As a leader of this company, I want to see our model replicate itself throughout the industry to increase workers’ share in ownership, to focus equity and sustainability in workplace policy, and to demonstrate the value of cooperation in action.

He/him. Vincent is a trained classical percussionist, though he never worked a single day at the orchestra. Tree planting quickly became a way of life; a seasonal gateway to year-round adventure. At work, Vince enjoys the planning of daily operations and the challenges of leadership. He strives to foster workers in his care to surpass themselves on the daily without the abuse and disrespect common to labor intensive workplaces. 

Outside of work he enjoys ski touring, ice climbing and the hardships that come with winter adventures. A definite type 2 fun kind of guy. Vincent could never come to like his bosses or the oppression toward employees; especially of marginalized communities. That is how he ended up at New Roots Worker Cooperative, and he’s been happy ever since.