Sustainability
Along with providing a food source (and a highly nutritious one), there are environmental benefits to growing hazelnuts.
Here at Ontario Hazelnuts, we are advocating for the growth and selling of hazelnuts because of the positive effects on our food chain and on the environment.
What ARE The Environmental Benefits of Hazelnuts?
Carbon Sequestration
Hazelnut trees capture significant amounts of carbon dioxide, enough that an orchard of hazelnut trees will capture more carbon dioxide than it produces, which helps to combat climate change.
Drought Resistant Crops
Hazelnut trees don't need as much water, making them both ideal for drought resistance and water conservation over time. They draw on their deep roots to get water they need during droughts and don't need regular watering once established.
Absorption of Metal
Hazelnut shells (which are usually thrown away) are capable of absorbing 30-40% of their weight in heavy metals, making them ideal for environmental clean-up (oil spills, water filtration, etc.)
Less Soil Erosion
Hazelnut trees can reduce and prevent soil erosion. These trees can act as a "biofilter" against erosion or polluted runoff AND have longer and better soil cover throughout the seasons.
Other benefits
Hazelnut trees are capable of producing nuts for a long time – sometimes up to and over 100 years – which makes them a sustainable crop.
It also requires less work on the land, which helps prevent soil erosion.
Thanks to the deep root systems of hazelnut trees (as a perennial plant), there is less nitrogen leaching, which has benefits over time including less carbon emissions.
Hazelnut trees can be planted in areas not suitable for growing other crops, diversifying crop options for farmers.
One environmental benefit related to location is that by growing hazelnuts in Ontario, we’ll reduce the imports from other countries – and thus reduce the carbon emitted in transporting those hazelnuts from other markets.
Sources & Additional Resources
contact@ontariohazelnuts.com