Tree planting season off to a green start in Wellington County

The 2021 tree planting season has begun! Forests Ontario, a not-for-profit tree planting organization, is working with planting partners across the province to plant more than 2.8 million trees through their 50 Million Tree Program (50 MTP). One planting partner is the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA), which will add nearly 20,000 trees to the provincial total.

Last year, with COVID-19 concerns, GRCA paused their spring tree planting operations. They have now implemented several new planting focused Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) and health and safety protocols to protect their staff, partners, and the public. The SOP’s include connecting with landowners and coworkers via phone and email wherever possible to limit points of contact, implementing physical distancing on site, supplying personal protective equipment, regularly sanitizing all equipment and tools, and minimizing planter density with staggered start times.

Thanks to the new protocols, GRCA is embracing the 2021 spring planting season. Meghan Clay, Forestry Specialist at GRCA, stated, “GRCA is really excited about getting trees planted this spring.” And, according to Clay, they aren’t they only eager ones. “Landowners are keen to get their trees; they want to see trees in the ground.”

Tree planting, deemed an essential service in March 2020 by the Ontario government, is time sensitive business. “Unfortunately, tree seedlings are quite perishable and need to be planted soon after coming from the nursery – careful timing and fine-tuned logistics are required,” said Rob Keen, Registered Professional Forester and CEO of Forests Ontario.

This year, GRCA began planting on April 19th and will likely continue until the Victoria Day weekend. Due to the size and diversity of the Grand River Watershed, which is about the same area as Prince Edward Island and stretches across two forest regions, the Conservation Authority is planting a range of different species. The most popular trees are conifers, such as Spruce, White Pine, Cedar, Tamarack, and Larch, due to their ability to thrive in most environments.

“We are seeing more and more demand for tree planting on private land,” said Clay. According to her, the motivations for private land tree planting is diverse, “Landowners with farms or property beside agricultural lands will plant trees to create windbreaks, reduce soil erosion, and improve water quality. Other rural landowners plant trees to create wildlife habitat, support recreation, and combat climate change.” But one motivation is consistent: “Landowners recognize that planting trees today benefits future generations.”

Since 2008, more than one million trees have been planted in Wellington County through Forests Ontario’s 50 MTP, and more than 31 million trees province wide. The program provides financial and technical assistance to landowners who wish to plant a minimum of 500 trees on their property. Forests Ontario also offers an Over-The-Counter program for landowners and organizations who are unable to meet the minimum tree requirement of the 50 MTP. The aim of these programs is to increase forest cover in the province in order to enhance the many benefits trees support.

“The 50 MTP benefits landowners and their communities immensely,” explained Keen. According to him, “The 50 MTP pays for an average of 75 to 90 per cent of tree planting costs for eligible landowners. Some landowners may even qualify for the Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program (MIFTIP); under MFTIP, landowners pay just 25 per cent of the municipal tax rate for residential forest properties.”

Each year, Forests Ontario’s network of cross-province planting partners work closely with local landowners to develop individual site plans that satisfy their specific vision. This can include flood protection, shading a house, creating a windbreak, helping pollinators, providing a habitat or a path for animals to travel between forested areas, boosting local ecosystems, and more.  The 50 MTP offers landowners a variety of native tree species which are selected for site conditions and landowner goals.

As of June, 2019, the 50 MTP is supported by the Government of Canada, corporate sponsors, and donors.

It’s never too early to think about planting for next spring! Apply now to be added to the waitlist for the 2022 planting season by visiting www.forestsontario.ca/en/program/50-million-tree-program. For more information about any of Forests Ontario’s tree planting programs, contact Hayley Murray (Forestry Operations Coordinator) at 416-646-1193 ext.
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For more information, photos or to arrange an interview please contact:

Augusta Lipscombe
Communications & Stakeholder Relations Manager
Forests Ontario / Forest Recovery Canada
W: 416.646.1193 ext. 235
E: alipscombe@forestsontario.ca