2017 was a big year as the nation celebrated Canada’s 150th anniversary.
One big benefactor of those celebrations was our environment. The Re-greening Ontario initiative last year distributed 16,000 white pine seed pods.
Each pod contained 10 seeds of Ontario’s official tree and there is the possibility those trees will one day offset 125,850,000 kgs of carbon.
Locally last year there were a number of tree planting events for Canada’s 150th.
Friends of Sandbanks had two major projects go ahead at the provincial park in Prince Edward County last spring.
It was an area of Sandbanks Provincial Park where there had been farming for a number of years and Friends of Sandbanks group has planted thousands of trees over the past five years.
Chair Mark Despault said the trees will be Canada’s national tree, the sugar maple.
The trees were a variety of ages, some as old as five years, others just seedlings.
Friends of Sandbanks applied for funding through Canada 150 and Ontario 150 programs and TD banks Friends of the Environment program for the projects.
The City of Quinte West was also a successful recipient of a Canada 150 grant from Tree Canada.
A community tree planting project was held in June at Centennial Park.
The City of Quinte West planted 83 trees, three of which were planted in a special location with a Tree Canada-designed Canada 150 commemorative plaque donated by CN. Trees planted at this event will include: Native Maple to represent Canada, Eastern White Pine to represent the Province of Ontario and First Nations community and a number of additional native & non-invasive species.
“We would like to thank Tree Canada for their dedication to pursuing a greener and healthier living environment for Canadians. We are honoured to be selected as Canada 150 program grant recipients and look forward to celebrating our new landscaping,” said Mayor Jim Harrison.
“All across the world, trees are a symbol of growth, strength, sustainability, hope, and peace,” said Michael Rosen, President of Tree Canada. “Our Canada 150 tree-planting celebrations are a perfect way to commemorate Canada’s legacy in a positive, meaningful and lasting way, all the while engaging people from coast to coast to coast.”
“I applaud the City of Quinte West for taking the initiative and applying for funding through Tree Canada. This grant will support what is not only an environmentally friendly project, but one that celebrates our nation at this special time in our nation’s history,” said MP for Bay of Quinte, Neil Ellis.
That project was made possible in part by the Government of Canada, Tree Canada and CN.