Vaughn-Bassett Furniture Co in Galax has purchased and donated 150,000 tree seedlings from the Virginia Department of Forestry. Trees will go toward planting projects across Virginia. This brings the total of donated trees by the furniture company up to 900,000.

Here is the press release from the Virginia Department of Forestry.

Galax-based Vaughan-Bassett Furniture Co. has purchased 150,000 tree seedlings from the Virginia Department of Forestry and is donating them for planting projects on private and public land across the Commonwealth in spring 2013.  Since the introduction of the company’s 1-4-1 Program in the fall of 2007, Vaughan-Bassett has donated a total of 900,000 trees that clean the air, protect our waterways and enhance the quality of life throughout Virginia.

The 1-4-1 Program is the brainchild of Vaughan-Bassett Furniture Co. Chairman of the Board John Bassett who has been a pioneer in the sustainable forest products movement.  The company donates one tree seedling for every tree it harvests for use in the manufacture of its adult bedroom furniture.

Bassett said, “We are proud to be a partner with the Virginia Department of Forestry and of our role in helping our environment.  We make 99 percent of our furniture in our Virginia and North Carolina factories, so we feel a special responsibility to make our bedroom furniture in the most environmentally responsible way that we can.  The 1-4-1 Program is the key to us fulfilling that obligation.”

State Forester of Virginia Carl Garrison said, “Vaughan-Bassett cares deeply about the Commonwealth of Virginia and has established an outstanding track record in this regard.  John Bassett set the industry standard in sustainability.  The people of Virginia receive tremendous environmental and economic benefits through the generosity of John and his employees.  We are honored to be partners with Vaughan-Bassett Furniture!”

The Virginia Department of Forestry will get the donated seedlings into the hands of forest landowners, schools and other groups so that they can be planted in the spring.  These trees will absorb carbon dioxide; prevent pollutants from fouling our waterways; provide shade in the summer, and are esthetically pleasing year ‘round.  They also provide more than 5,000 forest products we use every day.

The Virginia Department of Forestry protects and develops healthy, sustainable forest resources for Virginians.  Headquartered in Charlottesville, the Agency has forestry staff members assigned to every county to provide service to citizens of the Commonwealth.  VDOF is an equal opportunity provider.

With nearly 16 million acres of forestland and more than 144,000 Virginians employed in forestry, forest products and related industries, Virginia forests provide more than $27.5 Billion annually in benefits to the Commonwealth.