Every year the City of Regina along with residents band trees to protect them from pests, but one duo has reinvented the system and created a more eco-friendly and non-toxic alternative.
Brendan Thibault and Joshua Bresciani are two Regina-based entrepreneurs behind the Tree Huggers’ responsible branding system.
“Our product is 100 per cent recycled, it’s also eco-friendly in the sense it’s partially biodegradable and partially recyclable after you’re finished with it,” Thibault said.
Traditionally, tree banding consists of home insulation, a garbage bag, axle grease and duct tape, which has to be removed by both homeowners and the city twice a year.
But when Thibault moved into the Cathedral neighbourhood and realized how tree banding was done, he thought there must be a better way.
With the Tree Huggers’ system, Thibault says it can be left on all year long at a comparable cost to traditional bands.
“Our wadding material is 100 per cent recycled, but it also breaths so it allows your tree to properly dry out after heavy rainfall.”
Tree banding is meant to protect trees from certain bugs like canker worms and tent caterpillars, which can cause serious damage. Every year the City of Regina bands 450 trees alone.
Thibault and Bresciani spent three and a half years testing the product. This year is the first for installation with a commercial product and a do-it-yourself kit in the works. The duo says the possibilities are endless.
“The response has been great we’ve been getting contacts from all over Saskatchewan, in Alberta, Manitoba- all over Canada,” Bresciani said. “Infestations that happen, don’t just happen in Canada, they happen all over North America and other parts of the globe so there’s a ton of opportunity.”
Currently, the City of Winnipeg and Saskatoon are testing the product, but Regina says it has no plans at this time.