We’re getting a lot more trees planted in Halton!
The federal government is looking to plant two billion trees, with 50,000 right here in Halton. The announcement was made at Kelso Conservation Area in Milton on Tuesday morning.
Planting began back in April, with roughly 40,000 of the trees already being planted at 36 sites across the region. Those include both private and public sectors, including Conservation Halton areas. MP van Koeverden says this is just the start.
The announcement was made as smoke covered the sky. Forest fires in northwestern Ontario had created a haze across the province, which made the moment feel critical. Planting trees is a natural climate solution that removes and stores carbon from the atmosphere while providing other benefits such as better air and water quality, particularly in urban settings and decreases risk of wildland fire to rural communities; and supports biodiversity.
This project will support planned restoration projects in ecosystems such as wetlands, creeks, former farmland, and forested areas and will provide increased regional biodiversity, resilient communities, and the creation of green jobs.
Canada’s plan to plant two billion trees is projected to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 12 megatonnes annually by 2050. It will create up to 4,300 green jobs.
The thing with planting all these trees is that the job isn’t done once the trees are put in the ground. It takes a lot of hard work by the people at Conservation Halton to maintain the trees to ensure that they survive through a number of stressors over the years. MP van Koeverden praises the work done by Conservation Halton.
He made Tuesday’s announcement on behalf of the Minister of Natural Resources, Seamus O’Regan Jr. The Minister says it’s more than just planting trees.
“Planting two billion trees is more than a plan for climate action. It’s a plan for creating thousands of good, green jobs. We’re rolling out tree-planting projects right across the country. Planting trees gets us to net-zero.”
Forestry Technician at Conservation Halton, Jennifer Roberts, spoke to media at the announcement to go over the finer details of the planting. She says the goal is to plant a number of different species to help develop biodiversity within our community’s greenspace. They will be working to maintain and limit invasive species and pests while providing the best care to more native trees.
Speaking on the recent history with the ash borer beetle and gypsy moth, Conservation Halton CAO Hassaan Basit says you’ll never win a war against an invasive species. The best thing you can do is keep them at bay.
If you’re looking to plant a tree, Bassit says his best advice for you is “just do it.” There are plenty of native trees to choose from of all shapes and sizes. Whether you’re a resident looking to plant something in your yard or a business looking to use space on your property, there’s always an option. Contact Conservation Halton if you have any questions, and businesses can even get tax breaks in certain cases.
Conservation Halton also holds tree planting events where residents can attend and help plant trees around the community. Click here for more information.
