Forests Ontario has supported the planting of 45,000 trees in Halton this season as part of a national program that added 2.7 million trees to greenspaces across the country.
To date, this brings the total planted in Halton to over one million and 46.5 million across the country, with support from Forests Ontario and its national division, Forest Recovery Canada.
“We have always built strong relationships with a comprehensive network of experienced partners and experts who understand the transformative power of healthy forests,” said Forests Ontario CEO Jess Kaknevicius.
“Now, as we are facing the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, it is imperative that we build these relationships across the country, so that we can make a difference in communities from coast to coast to coast.”
The organization say this re-planting is important in "creating diverse, resilient, thriving forests is one of the most effective, nature-based solutions to combat and mitigate the impacts of climate change, including extreme weather that can lead to drought or wildfires."
In addition it encourages biodiversity, assists wildlife habitats, supports green job creation and improves the health and wellness of our communities.
“We are very proud of the accomplishments we made with our planting partners in Ontario and across Canada this year, including restoring ecosystems after wildfires and extreme wind events like hurricanes,” said Forests Ontario National Program Manager Peter Moddle.
“It has been an absolute pleasure connecting with local Indigenous communities, woodlot owners and groups, and ENGOs (environmental non-governmental organizations), who are all so passionate about creating healthy, resilient forests.”
Forests Ontario’s tree-planting programs reduce the costs of tree planting, making increasing forest cover in communities easier and more affordable while ensuring the right trees are planted in the right place for the right reason. For further details, visit www.forestsontario.ca.
“At Forests Ontario, we like to say that we do more than just plant trees - we grow diverse, resilient, thriving forests. But we know that isn’t possible without our incredible planting partners and the generous support of individual donors, corporate partners, members, and municipal, provincial and federal levels of government, so I offer my heartfelt thanks," said Kaknevicius. "Together, we can conserve, restore, and grow Canada’s forests."
