"Going for a Walk Together"
The Story Behind Our New Planting Initiative

I believe that every business should help regenerate nature and biodiversity. In addition to creating value for clients, businesses must also help support the living systems we all draw from and rely on. At Eclipse Awards we’ve done this through partnerships, collaborations, and relationships.
 

Years ago we partnered with Eden Reforestation to plant mangrove trees to help sequester carbon and restore biodiversity. We committed to planting 2 trees for every award we sold. 

It was a fantastic collaboration between Eclipse Awards, our clients, Eden Reforestation, and the folks on the ground planting the trees. Clients buy from Eclipse, Eclipse supports Eden, Eden deploys people to plant trees in the ground. It’s not a complex model, but it does require intention and commitment. In the end we planted over 70,000 mangrove trees together, with each tree sequestering carbon year after year, for 20-25 years while also enhancing biodiversity.

Over time, Eden's model changed significantly, and eventually our arrangement was no longer feasible. So we updated our list of requirements and began a search for a new partner. 

This time we wanted a local partner, someone working to rebuild healthy forests in BC. Our search led past major partners like Veritree and Cool Climate, and eventually to Steve Clegg, a champion of trees and forests who we had worked with for years before when he helped us create our live edge wood awards and the Awesome Awards. Steve now leads the S.A.Y. Lands Stewardship Initiative in Chilliwack, BC, supporting Indigenous-led habitat restoration along Chilliwack Creek.

The S.A.Y. Lands Office represents the Sq’ewqéyl (Skowkale), Áthelets (Aitchelitz), and Yeqwyeqwí:ws (Yakweakwioose) First Nations, which are part of the broader Stó:lō Nation. Their restoration project is named The Ts'lhimexósem Trail, which covers over 15 hectares and seeks to restore a resilient ecosystem with the thoughtful planting of native trees, shrubs and supporting plants. 

In the Halq'eméylem language, Ts'lhimexósem translates directly to "going for a walk together" which is a tribute to their collaborative approach to partnership, reconciliation and regeneration. 

With this spirit of collaboration, a longstanding relationship, and a shared purpose, it was clear that we had found our new partner!

In July 2026 we formalized our new partnership with S.A.Y. Lands, committing our support to help regenerate local forests and restore The Ts'lhimexósem Trail. It will be a grassroots effort, without many of the fancy marketing bells and whistles offered by other programs. But we’ll know exactly where our support is going, we’ll be able to see its progress and evolution first-hand over time, and in addition to helping restore biodiversity, we’ll also be strengthening our relationship with First Nations communities. 

Going forward, our clients will know that the order from Eclipse Awards, they are also helping to rebuild whole and healthy forests and eco-systems right here in BC.

We’re excited about this new partnership and what we’ll accomplish together in the coming years. 

Stay tuned for more stories of growth and restoration as we build The Ts'lhimexósem Trail together!