Northumberland County: Local Tree Planting

Trees Ontario, local planting partner Northumberland Stewardship Council and Lou Rinaldi, MPP Northumberland-Quinte West, hosted an official tree planting ceremony today in recognition of the important tree planting work that is being done across the province for the Ministry of Natural Resources’ 50 Million Tree Program.

In August 2007, the Ontario government introduced a program to plant 50 million trees by 2020, as part of its commitment to help fight climate change and green the province.

The 50 Million Tree Program is Ontario’s contribution to the United Nations Billion Tree Campaign, and is the single largest commitment made to date to this worldwide campaign.

The Ministry of Natural Resources is partnering with Trees Ontario, a not-for-profit organization, to deliver the first phase of this program. This spring, Trees Ontario’s partners will plant a total of 1.2 million trees for the program, mostly on rural privately owned land.

“Today’s tree planting activity, and ones like it right across southern Ontario demonstrate that we can and will meet the 50 million target,” said the Hon. Donna Cansfield, Minister of Natural Resources. “This is an example of how Ontario landowners are joining the battle to reduce our greenhouse gases and helping green our province.”

“I am very pleased to participate in today’s event,” said Lou Rinaldi, MPP for Northumberland-Quinte West. “This demonstrates that everyone in our community can help in the important battle against climate change. More than 30,800 trees been planted in this area over the past year with assistance from Trees Ontario and Northumberland Stewardship Council, and many more can and will be planted in the years ahead.”

Participants in today’s event planted red oak trees grown from seeds native to the Oak Ridges Moraine. These seeds were collected through funding provided by the Oak Ridges Moraine Foundation to help ensure the maintenance of the Moraine’s biodiversity.

Participants also had a first-hand opportunity to see how large-scale tree planting is being done. This scale of planting not only helps to capture carbon dioxide, a major greenhouse gas, but also contributes to the protection of our watersheds and the diversification of our landscape. One healthy mature tree releases enough oxygen back in the atmosphere to support two human beings for one year.

Northumberland County: Local Tree Planting Contributes to Ontarios 50 Million Tree Goal - Environmental Communication Options/Huff Strategy.