Trees and shrubs provide us with so many environmental, economic and social benefits, yet York Region`s urban forest is threatened by many stressors, such as invasive pests (such as the Emerald Ash Borer), extreme weather events, and development. Planting trees and holding events like this make an important contribution towards rebuilding this vital resource, while inspiring the next generation of urban forest stewards to take action as well!
All in all, the day was a great success. The students of King City Secondary School did an impressive job of planting the trees and shrubs. It is key that we select a variety of native species when replanting, as a biodiverse urban forest provides essential habitat for birds, butterflies and other wildlife, and is more resilient to pests and diseases. At this event, we planted paper birch, silver maple, white spruce, tamarack and, serviceberry trees, just to name a few!
LEAF's amazing volunteers were also on hand to help us to plant, as well as capture the event of the day. David documented the afternoon in photographs, while Ceecee created this fantastic video:
The day wouldn`t have been possible without the support of our wonderful partners King Township, York Region and the Government of Ontario. These partners share LEAF’s enthusiasm for enhancing biodiversity and protecting the urban forest throughout the Region.
If you're interested in doing your part to improve York Region's urban forest on your own property, check out LEAF's subsidized Backyard Tree Planting Program! We make it easy to get the right tree in the right place so that it will thrive for years to come!
Melissa Williams is LEAF’s Program Manager.