Social Impact Heroes Helping Our Planet: Why & How Anthony Martinez Of Second Fire Project Is Helping To Change Our World

An Interview With Martita Mestey

I wish I had known how easy it is to form a non-profit. Fear of the unknown and the registration procedure hold many people back from forming an organization or launching an idea. They fear that the experience will be long, costly, and lengthy. However, I was able to bypass all of that very quickly by finding the right tools. In just two months, I was halfway through all of the fears involved in forming this business because I found the right support.

As a part of my series about “individuals and organizations making an important social impact”, I had the pleasure of interviewing Anthony Martinez.

Anthony Martinez is the Founder and Director of Second Fire Project (SFP), a private, independent 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. SFP is on a mission to enhance and expand the camping experience for future generations. At SFP partner sites, campers can purchase bundles of firewood to support the planting of new trees that fast-forward and positively impact the carbon cycle.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit. Can you tell us a bit about how you grew up?

One thing I’m grateful for is that I grew up in the South in Mississippi. The South introduced me to a culture that taught me to appreciate the outdoors, including the impact of agriculture and tourism on our economy. I learned to explore the land and appreciate its wildlife. Where I grew up offered me all kinds of realizations like that. I was also a Boy Scout. At the time, I thought it was corny and being the football team’s star quarterback would be cooler than being an Eagle Scout with three palms. But looking back, I’m grateful for the experience. I had an amazing troop where all the most popular kids were also in Boy Scouts. (Not to brag, but I was crowned prom king my senior year of high school.) Being a Boy Scout has informed a lot of my decision-making, especially regarding climate change. I remember our camping trips and our “conservation motto”: to leave no trace behind. Scouting and Mississippi are important parts of who I am.

You are currently leading a social impact organization that is making a difference for our planet. Can you tell us a bit about what you and your organization are trying to change in our world today?

The Second Fire Project is a nonprofit that aims to address the challenges of climate change. Our mission is to promote environmental awareness and encourage the planting of trees by selling firewood bundles at public and private campgrounds. For every bundle sold at one of our partner sites, we plant a tree in collaboration with One Tree Planted. This is the “second fire”, which symbolizes the idea of replacing a traditional camp or cooking fire with a future “planted” one, instead of relying on nature to do it for us.

Can you tell us the backstory about what inspired you to originally feel passionate about this cause?

In the Boy Scouts, we were taught to leave no trace behind. That meant cleaning up a campsite and leaving it better than how we found it for the next person to enjoy. As I grew up, I realized that despite trying to follow the motto, we always left something behind. Using local firewood from the campsites, and cutting off branches for kindling all resulted in leaving behind CO2. CO2 is a significant factor in climate change, and burning fossil fuels over the years has resulted in the consequences we face today. I wondered how we could truly complete that motto and leave nothing behind. The answer was planting trees. Trees can absorb endless amounts of CO2, and planting saplings that have reached a certain age of maturity can help reabsorb the CO2 we release. For every campfire we burned as scouts, the tree would offset that and capture any of the CO2 we would have released.

Many of us have ideas, dreams, and passions, but never manifest them. They don’t get up and just do it. But you did. Was there an “Aha Moment” that made you decide that you were actually going to step up and do it? What was that final trigger?

I had a good friend in college named Tim Valli. Tim and I played soccer together and enjoyed our friendship throughout our college years. One thing I learned about Tim was that he was very involved in scouting and had a fondness for it since he grew up in Missouri. Our similar backgrounds made me feel safe to share my ideas with him. When I did, he was all for it. This was a turning point for me — that “aha moment” — because I knew that I was onto something. I felt empowered to pursue my idea with Tim’s support. Years later, Tim asked to be a part of the project and offered his help. He was committed, full of ideas, and had the financial intuition to push the project forward. He understood how to add value to the project, and I couldn’t have done it without him.

Many people don’t know the steps to take to start a new organization. What are some of the things or steps you took to get your project started?

1. Come up with an idea.
2. Discuss your idea with many people, don’t be afraid to ask questions or make phone calls. You can reach out to your old college professors or teachers since they are a great resource.
3. Find someone to help you get the idea in motion. This can be a peer or a mentor.
4. Start the project. Create a name, a mission, and go. Ready, fire, aim. The biggest time-waster is not starting. You’ll never find out what can be done if you don’t begin. So, start and then correct as you go. Some ideas work, some are not at the right time, and some are great ideas. Find your stride.
5. Don’t be afraid. Fear is paralyzing. Shoot your shot and take the chance.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company or organization?

One interesting thing that happened to me was meeting this campsite owner in Maine. He runs a successful organization called Four Acre Woods and shares the same conservation-minded goals as I do. He was very interested in my project and wanted to support it as soon as possible. We had our first successful year working together, and he is now advertising our organization with the largest banners we’ve ever printed. These banners are mounted 11 feet across where his firewood is being sold, and they beautifully advertise the Second Fire Project motto: “For every campfire bundle sold, we plant a tree.” It’s surprising to see how many people want to join us in our efforts to make a positive impact.

It has been said, that sometimes our mistakes can be our greatest teachers. Do you have a story about a humorous mistake that you made when you were first starting and the lesson you learned from that?

As I pursued my passion, I found myself browsing a few websites, ready to purchase saplings that would be delivered to my address. I thought, “What if I just do the planting myself?” Looking back, it’s a funny moment because I was trying to run an organization to solve a crisis. The reality was I couldn’t be ordering hundreds of saplings to my small apartment to get the job done myself. I remember walking in the woods and considering planting saplings on private property to offset carbon, but I dismissed the idea of becoming a green vigilante. I needed to find an organization that would help me achieve my goals. That’s when I found One Tree Planted, an organization that matches your donation with a sapling put in the ground. They have the resources to help us in our goals. My initial ridiculous idea turned into a fruitful outcome. The lesson: you don’t have to do it all by yourself. Find like minded people or organizations with shared goals to make the biggest impact.

None of us can be successful without some help along the way. Did you have mentors or cheerleaders who helped you to succeed? Can you tell us a story about their influence?

Tim Valli is a friend and collaborator who has been an essential part of the success of this organization. Doug Blankinship, a former forrester and conservation expert, was the first mentor to this organization. He helped me navigate forestry resources, examine the current landscape (both physical and legal), and explore competitors, if any.

My dad was a great inspiration to me as well. As a young man, one of my most aspiring goals was to make him proud. We have shared many camping experiences and have explored various states, wildlife exhibits, and more. He also encouraged me to join Boy Scouts, and I think part of my motivation for forming this nonprofit is to make scouting and what I learned from it even better. It’s my way of giving back and saying thank you to my father.

Are there three things the community, society, or politicians can do to help you address the root of the problem you are trying to solve?

1. Campers, think about your impact: It may seem trivial, but it’s crucial to be mindful of the impact we have on the environment while enjoying the great outdoors. You have the option to camp wherever you want to, but considering the values of where you set up could be the difference between helping and harming the environment. That’s why we encourage camping at a Second Fire Project partner site; a campground where you know that every time you ignite a bundle of wood, you’re planting a tree too.
2. Don’t just talk about the problem, be part of the solution: Education is crucial, particularly when it comes to tackling climate change and preserving our resources. However, our focus is on taking action, not just talking about it. We are committed to sharing the resources we need to make a positive impact on the environment through our mission statement. We understand that people have busy lives and diverse interests, but we firmly believe that taking steps towards conservation is always worth the effort.
3. Support organizations that do the work for you: Donating to an organization like the Second Fire Project helps drive visible and real change forward. When you support SFP, we do the hard work of making sure trees are being planted in high-impact areas; from carbon sink locations, to mangrove forests, to areas impacted by wildfire. If you believe in what we are doing and support us, you are part of the change.

How would you articulate how a business can become more profitable by being more sustainable and more environmentally conscious? Can you share a story or example?

Accenture found that 63% of global consumers prefer to purchase products and services from companies that have a purpose that aligns with their values and beliefs. This highlights that people want their money to go beyond just making a purchase. The Second Fire Project has found the impact it has had on partnered campgrounds is twofold. One, campers are more likely to buy their wood at the campground if they know a portion of the proceeds go towards a good cause. Two, campers are likely to come back and continue to support these campgrounds because they feel good about the change they are creating.

What are your “5 things I wish someone told me when I first started” and why?

1. I wish I had known how easy it is to form a non-profit. Fear of the unknown and the registration procedure hold many people back from forming an organization or launching an idea. They fear that the experience will be long, costly, and lengthy. However, I was able to bypass all of that very quickly by finding the right tools. In just two months, I was halfway through all of the fears involved in forming this business because I found the right support.
2. Secondly, I wish I had asked for more help at the very beginning. I am the kind of person who likes to do things and get them done myself. I am very proud and do not like asking for help. However, I wish I had realized how much more could be accomplished when you ask for help early.
3. Third, it’s going to work out. The fear of failure is real when starting out, but what I know now is that the only way it wouldn’t work is if I allowed myself to get distracted and procrastinate or stay in my comfort zone. Hard work really pays off in the end.
4. Success comes in stages. It’s easy to feel like an organization needs to be launch-ready or have an immediate impact out of the gate. “We need money fast.” “We need social media strategies in full effect.” “We need new partners.” The wishlist is always growing, but it’s okay to take it slow or else you’ll drown yourself with the stress to succeed immediately.
5. Celebrate each achievement with your partners, friends, and allies along the way. Whoever your supporters are should share their time in the sun with you. For us, Normandy Campgrounds in Foxborough, MA, is the reason we are where we are today. They were the first to give us a chance and say, “Let’s try this and see how we work together.” They trust us in this mission and we want them to succeed in their growth just the same. The same is said for Tim Valli. He’s a loving father, husband, and friend with about anything and everything going on in his life but he still makes time to support this organization. These are the people who deserve the attention in the end.

If you could tell other young people one thing about why they should consider making a positive impact on our environment or society, like you, what would you tell them?

Embrace feeling discouraged. Embrace it and learn from it. Some years ago in a bar in Cambridge, UK, I was told point-blank that planting trees is a waste of time and doesn’t impact climate change. It fired me up to consume any amount of literature, articles, opinions to their point and learn why they stood from that position. We know that planting trees doesn’t solve climate change. It’s not the solution, but it’s part of it. Instead of being discouraged, listen to opposing positions and learn from them. You’ll be better for it.

Can you please give us your favorite “Life Lesson Quote”? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

I find myself using the expression ‘less is more’ on a daily basis. To me, this means prioritizing quality over quantity in real life. When we focus on something simple and firm, and make it accessible to impact, we end up making a greater difference than if we try to do a million different things without doing any of them very well. This is where the quote ‘less is more’ really comes in handy. It simplifies decision-making and helps us stay true to our goals while limiting distractions that may arise.

Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would like to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this, especially if we tag them. :-)

My sister had the opportunity to meet Michelle Obama when she was in middle school, and I can’t help but feel a little jealous about it. I would love to have the chance to sit down and talk with her about the causes she is passionate about and to receive any advice or counseling she could offer. It would be amazing to share a coffee together and spend an hour with her. I know that she could teach me so much in such a short amount of time and inspire me in ways that would last a lifetime. She’s someone I could learn from and be molded by, and then I could go back and brag to my sister about it.

How can our readers follow you online?

The best way to keep up with the Second Fire Project is on our website, www.secondfireproject.com. You can also follow us on Instagram (which we are actively trying to grow), @secondfireproject.

This was very meaningful, thank you so much. We wish you only continued success on your great work!