THE COUNTIES, Ontario - This year, Raisin Region Conservation Authority staff are gearing up to plant 57,000 trees on private and public properties, adding to the more than one million trees planted by the RRCA since 1994.
“The RRCA’s forestry programs are designed to make it easy for public and private property owners to add native tree species to their land, whether they are looking to plant a windbreak, attract wildlife, or simply improve their existing landscape,” said Jessica Herrington, RRCA Stewardship Coordinator. “Trees provide many important ecological, economic, social, and cultural benefits: they filter the air we breathe, clean the water we drink, and increase resilience to natural disasters such as flooding.”
For projects of more than 500 trees, the RRCA offers a full-service tree-planting program to the community, which includes consultation, site preparation, seedling purchase and planting, and follow-up assessments. Through a partnership with Forests Ontario, the RRCA can offer significant tree planting subsidies to property owners. This spring, nearly 43,000 trees will be planted through this program. RRCA staff are currently booking site visits for next year’s planting season.
For smaller projects, the RRCA offers native tree and shrub seedlings sales to the community at a discounted price. An online form on the RRCA website allows property owners to select a variety of species before picking up their seedlings in the spring at Gray’s Creek Conservation Area.
“While most species offered through our Over-the-Counter Tree Seedling program have now sold out, silver maple, black walnut, white pine, and several native shrubs are still available until the upcoming March 31 order deadline,” said Herrington. “This program is very popular within the community and will result in up to 11,400 trees being planted this spring.”
Later this spring, the RRCA will be holding its 23rd annual Tree Giveaway, partnering with the municipalities in its jurisdiction to offer a total of 3,000 free trees to residents. Once again, the RRCA has partnered with its neighbouring conservation authority, South Nation Conservation, to offer free trees in their shared municipalities of South Stormont, North Stormont, and North Glengarry. A giveaway in South Glengarry will be taking place in early May. An online seedling reservation form will be made available soon on the conservation authority websites, allowing residents to secure seedlings prior to pick-up, while supplies last. Residents are encouraged to follow the RRCA on social media to be among the first to access the seedling reservation forms.
This year’s Tree Giveaway in Cornwall will take place as part of Cornwall’s Eco Day, which will be held on Saturday, April 23, 2022, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Lamoureux Park. The RRCA will be distributing free white spruce and white cedar seedlings on a first-come, first-served basis to Cornwall residents attending the event, while supplies last.
Nearly 46,000 free trees have been distributed to the community since the first RRCA Tree Giveaway in 1999.