Climate tech company Mast, the newly-formed parent company of DroneSeed, announced its acquisition of California-based Cal Forest Nurseries, which supplies the majority of seedlings used for reforestation in California.
With the acquisition of Cal Forest, Mast addresses a major obstacle to scaling reforestation: an inadequate supply of tree seeds and seedlings. The company chose its new name, Mast, from the forestry term describing the once or twice-per-decade phenomenon in which multiple trees simultaneously produce a large crop of seed-bearing cones.
The addition of Cal Forest strengthens Mast’s vertical integration in response to reforestation supply chain challenges due to bigger, hotter, wildfires driven by climate change. By combining technology and legacy forestry practices with seed and seedling supplies, Mast can execute an ever-greater number of post-fire reforestation projects in partnership with landowners.
Along with Cal Forest Nurseries, Mast also acquired Siskiyou Seed, a seed supplier and processor that complements Silvaseed, reinforcing Mast’s position as the largest private seed supplier in the Western U.S. With Cal Forest, Siskiyou Seed, and Silvaseed all contributing to the company’s supply chain, Mast will expand its geographical reach to support more fire-impacted communities.
In 2022, Mast partnered with private, government and nonprofit entities on seed collection efforts, collecting about 11,000 bushels of cones. With a supply of seeds and seedlings, Mast plans to grow its reforestation project pipeline to support more fire-impacted communities.
Mast’s 2023 reforestation projects will include a site in Montana that will expand the elk habitat corridor around Yellowstone National Park. This and all future Mast projects will generate carbon removal-based credits to provide upfront funding for costly reforestation efforts.
