Celebrating National Forest Week | Sept. 17-23

September 17th – 23rd, 2023

This year, National Forest Week is September 17-23 and National Tree Day is celebrated on Wednesday, September 20^th. Each year, National Forest Week encourages Canadians to learn more about our forest heritage and increases awareness about the value of forests as a fundamental part of our culture, traditions, economy, and history.

Each year, Otonabee Conservation celebrates National Forest Week with tree planting events in the watershed. On September 16^th, Otonabee Conservation will kick off National Forest Week with a TD Tree Days event at Harold Town Conservation Area. TD employees and community members will plant 350 trees and shrubs to support natural diversity, help mitigate climate change, provide shade, and help stabilize soils adjacent to the Conservation Area’s parking area and trailhead.

Volunteer Opportunities

On National Tree Day, September 20^th, volunteers and staff will plant 125 native trees and shrubs at the new Peterborough Humane Society Animal Care Centre on Technology Drive. These plants will increase biodiversity, help to stabilize the soil, create shade, and beautify the new build site.

While National Forest Week is celebrated over 7 days, Otonabee Conservation will host tree planting events  throughout the fall with several local partners and community groups.

“We are looking forward to coming together with hundreds of community members and students to plant trees across the watershed this fall,” explains Otonabee Conservation’s CAO, Janette Loveys Smith, “Trees provide many benefits to us each day, and as they grow, they provide us with a natural climate change solution.”

More than ever, Canadians are seeing our country’s landscapes threatened by the effects of climate change with increasing fires, flooding, and extreme weather events that are devastating our forests and cities. Planting trees helps to strengthen our resiliency to the impacts of climate change by regulating temperatures, stabilizing the ground preventing erosion, and reducing stormwater runoff and flooding. Forests also capture carbon dioxide sequestering millions of kg of Carbon over their lifespan.

To learn more about the importance of forests and for ways to celebrate National Forest Week, follow Otonabee Conservation on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter at @OtonabeeC.

For more information contact:
Meredith Carter
Manager, Watershed Management Programs, Otonabee Conservation                               mcarter@otonabeeconservation.com | 705-745-5791 x223