WHY SHAKTI?

Shakti was started by tree planters, for tree planters. It was a simple idea that brought out the best in hard working people. Taking responsibility for the equipment and assets was so empowering that Shakti quickly grew from a few friends to as many as 50 people.  Now, in our latest transformation, we take charge of information…

Learn with the same power you use to plant trees!

When we put that force behind: books, science, ideas, math, and technology; we move forward. Our ability to “highball” at tree planting, is one fraction of what we achieve pounding books and spreadsheets! Shakti is graced with the hardest working people we know. A lot of good comes when tree planters realize that potential.

“HUMBLE” BEGININGS

I started it, Jim and Jordan only helped. We didn’t have any, contracts, or money, or experience managing anything. We were tree planters, it was kind of a joke. A few years later it was a large industrial operation running year-round. Every step of it can be credited to the work of tree planters and their friends of friends. It is a very progressive, fun, and bright community of people to live in. The goal is still to be the best tree planting company, for the planters, run by planters.

RON LAVERDIERE – SHAKTI PROJECT SUPERVISOR

George has managed numerous large scale silviculture and forestry operations across Canada. 

Ron is an old school tree-planter with vast experience with trees and horticulture.  With the grit to plant 3 million trees by hand and the technical prowess of his engineering degree, Ron diligently breaks problems down to their simplest parts and always enjoys a good, healthy challenge. Ron has a passion for growing all things tree and plant related having studied permaculture for years, the forest is a natural playground for people like Ron.. Taking full advantage of many years of seasonal work, he has also travelled most of North America by motorcycle and has spent many of his winters overseas.

MARTIN SMITH – SHAKTI PROJECT SUPERVISOR

Martin is the way we try and remember ourselves; a smart, dedicated, ambitious trailblazer, completely free from ego and other baggage.

Martin is an avid outdoors man, to put it mildly.  He spends half of his year in the pursuit of pine cones, mushrooms, and managing his tree planter friends, and the rest of the year in trekking, snowboarding, and guiding (even more) adventure tours. His interest in nature also extends to the sciences where Martin breezed through an undergraduate degree in Environmental sciences.

He has been working in the industry for 6 years, and started managing crews as early as……

ELIZABETH HOLLOWAY – SHAKTI ADMINISTRATOR & SUPERVISOR

Liz brings a great deal of enthusiasm, wisdom, and dedication to everything she does. She has managed a myriad projects in reforestation and other public, private and non-profit organizations. Liz is also hilarious, which is worth a lot in this industry. We are suuuuuuuper grateful to have Liz running Shakti teams, time and again.

Liz has a degree in environmental studies from U of Ottawa. She has worked over 10 years in tree planting and other silviculture activities. When Liz is not in planting mode, she enjoys anything else including art, theatre, and being an charismatic gym member. She has traveled around the world a few times. She speaks french fluently. She is an inspiration to many people, in many communities

CHRIS VALAIRE  C.E.T, RPF, EP.  –  SHAKTI ENVIRONMENT & POLICY ADVISOR

True to the highballer tradition through 8 summers of tree planting and owning a planting company, Chris realized the potential of hard work in many capacities, namely management of large scale environmental and civil projects. Chris has held senior management positions in myriad civil and forestry projects across western Canada, winning several prestigious awards in engineering, public service, and leadership. Chris was the Senior Provincial Operations Forester in Alberta for several years has been a Registered Professional Forester (RPF) Saskatchewan and the coast of BC as well.

Chris’ qualifications are also not limited to; being past President of the Alberta College of Professional Foresters (CAPF); sitting on the national board of the Canadian Environmental Certification Approvals Board (CECAB). He is also Certified Engineering Technologist (C.E.T.);  Lead Auditor in ISO 14001 and ISO 9001. True to Shakti’s long standing positive relationship with First Nations, Chris is a licensed BEAHR trainer in the development of environmental programs with First peoples across Canada.

Chris is passionate about playing recreational hockey and basketball, chauffeuring around his kids, and he still loves to bag up when he has the chance.

CHRIS HARRIS – SHAKTI OWNER AND GENERAL MANAGER

As the founder of Shakti I am dedicated to the tree planters, the clients, and the environment. It is an immense honour to engage with all of you and create such meaningful work together. I have 20 years experience in reforestation, most of which I spent living out of backpacks and rv’s. I am a keen learner, a compulsive reader, and extremely industrious. I study political science, history, economics and am currently in a Masters of Business Administration program at Royal Roads University.

I have been very fortunate to have planned my career from the age of seven. The plan was to live in the wild. I was told “expeditioning” wasn’t really, but the moment I heard about tree planting I never looked back. After planting more than 2 million trees by hand I decided to try my hand at business and so Shakti began. People are extremely supportive. I do my best. 

SHAKTI MEANS “STRENGTH TO PRODUCE”

Shakti is from the Indian language of sanskrit. It means power or potential to produce. There is female and male Shakti power, represented in Hindu Goddesses and a action hero, Shakti Man. 

ENVIRONMENT

Shakti Reforestation is committed to the responsible stewardship of the environment.

In our commitment to doing the right thing for our workers, clients and the public: the fate of the environment encompasses all three. Our commitment to trees and nature is real. We don’t have the answers, but our roll is clear: we plant trees. The services we perform, and the regulations and science by which we conform, culminate in that one simple goal, to be the best tree planting company, run by tree planters. 

QUALITY

Shakti is entirely committed to providing quality service and we’ve been very fortunate to work with clients who feel the same. We encourage honest and reasoned discussion between each other and our clients because this is the only way to build a credible, worthwhile organization. 

Shakti’s senior managers have been in reforestation for decades and have experience with many different quality assurance methods. We use professional systems such as BC FS 704, and Environmental Management Systems (EMS) employed by several private mills, public institutions and ISO 14001 and 9001 programs. We’re proud of our systems of monitoring and auditing our work, incorporating it into our SMS platforms including Comply Works, ISN, BC Forest Safe, & PIR.