Residents in the Otonabee Region watershed planted 11,275 trees this spring!
This year, Otonabee Conservation’s Tree Seedling Sales program received 99 orders from property owners across the watershed. Residents ordered over 11,275 native trees and shrubs that were planted across all eight municipalities in the Otonabee Region watershed.
Each year, Otonabee Conservation encourages landowners to enhance their property and help to fight climate change by planting trees. The Conservation Authority offers a wide selection of native tree and shrub species for landowners to purchase in bulk at a subsidized price. This year, there was an overwhelming demand for trees, with a 33% increase in the number of trees purchased in comparison with last year, and many species sold out.
“Trees play an important role in maintaining a healthy and resilient natural environment; planting more trees will help us fight climate change,” explains Meredith Carter, Manager of the Watershed Management Program at Otonabee Conservation, “This year, the demand for planting tree was incredible! Landowner’s tree plantings from this Spring alone will translate to approximately 2.5 million kg of sequestered Carbon over the lifetime of these trees!”
Mitigating climate change is one positive outcome of planting trees. Landowners also plant trees for many reasons, including protecting water quality in our rivers and streams, providing habitat for birds and other wildlife, and adding to the health of our communities by purifying the air and enhancing the environment that surrounds us.
“We have some acreage in a managed forest program and wanted to augment those plantations as well as naturalize the shoreline along the river,” Shares resident, Rob Niezen of Douro-Dummer Township, “We chose white spruce for its drought resistance, year-round evergreen foliage, ability to grow in poorer soil conditions and, once established, they grow fairly quickly.”
Each year, Otonabee Conservation’s Tree Seedling Sales are available starting in January. Otonabee Conservation also works with local landowners and community partners throughout the year to plant trees on private and public properties. For more information, please visit otonabeeconservation.com/programs/tree-planting.
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For more information contact:
Dan Marinigh | Chief Administrative Officer
Otonabee Conservation
dmarinigh@otonabeeconservation.com | 705-745-5791 ext. 222