This Fall, National Forest Week is celebrated from September 20-26, 2020. 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.
The benefits of trees are widely known. Planting trees helps regulate temperatures and provides shelter to wildlife; trees also filter the air we breathe, capture carbon dioxide mitigating climate change, and stabilize the ground preventing erosion and reducing stormwater runoff and flooding.
Each year, Otonabee Conservation celebrates National Forest Week with tree plantings throughout our watershed. This year is no exception, with tree planting events that will take place throughout the fall. We will plant 5,690 trees with the generous support from community partners, including City of Peterborough, Selwyn Township, Siemens Canada, Brock Mission, and Peterborough Regional Health Centre, and with generous financial support from Tree Canada, TD Canada Trust, and One Tree Planted.
“During National Forest Week, we usually come together with hundreds of community volunteers and students to plant trees across the watershed,” explains Otonabee Conservation’s CAO, Dan Marinigh, “While planting events are not open to the public this year, we are celebrating a bit differently with COVID-19 protocols in place for our community partners who will be helping us plant across the entire fall season.”
If residents are looking for ways to contribute, we encourage all watershed residents to celebrate at a distance by planting a tree in their yard, making a donation to Otonabee Conservation or their favourite tree/forest organization, or simply by sharing a photo of their favourite tree online during National Forest Week.
“Every tree makes a difference in mitigating climate change,” continues Marinigh, “The average tree sequesters 220-225 kg of Carbon over an 80 year period. That means that the trees and shrubs we plant this fall will sequester, 1.2 million kg of Carbon over their lifetime.”
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.
The media is invited to attend a selection of our plantings for photo opportunities and to speak with community partners who are planting trees in our watershed. COVID-19 protocols including screening, physical distancing, masks, and hand hygiene are mandatory.
September 30 | 1:00-3:00 pm | Siemens Peterborough (1954 Technology Drive)
October 20 | 1:00 pm | Harold Town Conservation Area
October 21 | 1:00 pm | Peterborough Regional Health Centre
October 22/23 | 1:00 pm | Meadows Stormwater Pond (2327 Marsdale Dr.)
DATE TBD | 1:00 pm | Brock Mission (217 Murray Street)
October 28-30 | 1:00 pm | Towerhill South Stormwater Pond (South of Walmart with access through Barnardo Park
Staff is available at the mobile number 705-931-4935 on site during plantings. In case of inclement weather or other circumstances, please check back here for any changes to the planting schedule. Thank you.