Tree Canada boosts Canada’s urban canopy and communities’ environmental spirits on National Tree Day

September 25, 2019 – Ottawa, ON  Today, Tree Canada and close to 300 volunteers planted over 2,000 trees in six host cities to celebrate National Tree Day from coast to coast, from dawn to dusk.

Tree Canada, along with volunteers from Staples Business Advantage and community residents from St. John’s (NL), Montreal (QC), Ottawa (ON), Markham (ON), Winnipeg (MB) and North Vancouver (BC) all joined forces in their efforts to plant trees in their individual communities to demonstrate
first-hand what trees mean to them and how important they are to their communities.

At a time when climate change is top of mind for Canadians, planting trees are a practical and economical way to fight climate change and are an easy and natural way to cool and beautify our cities by storing more carbon, reducing energy use and protecting against flooding.

Given that forest cover in Canadian cities has been declining over the past 20 years and that more than 80 percent of our population now lives in urban areas (four out of every five people), it is more important than ever that continued efforts are placed on increasing the canopy and resiliency of Canada’s urban forests. By bringing people and communities together through community tree planting initiatives, we all become part of the solution.

Canadians were also able to register their own National Tree Day events or search for ones nearby on Tree Canada’s National Tree Day event registry and over 23,000 students learned more about trees and help their school celebrate using the National Tree Day educational toolkit.

Regional events across the country included: ceremonial tree plantings, community tree plantings, a social media Tell Us your Tree Stories contest and education about trees through science, reading and song.

Tree Canada gratefully acknowledges Staples Business Advantage, the official sponsor for this year’s National Tree Day, and Dreaming Tree Wines for their support in making the community events happen.

About National Tree Day:
National Tree Day serves as a celebration for all Canadians to appreciate the great benefits that trees provide us – clean air, wildlife habitat, reducing energy demand and connecting with nature. Falling on the Wednesday of National Forest Week every year, this year National Tree Day is on Wednesday, September 25.

On March 2, 2011 a private members motion to declare the Wednesday of National Forest Week, National Tree Day, received consent from the House of Commons. The motion was presented by Royal Galipeau, M.P., at the urging of Tree Canada.
treecanada.ca/nationaltreeday; #NationalTreeDay

About Tree Canada
Tree Canada is the non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of Canadians by planting and nurturing trees. Through our programs, research and educational efforts, we have helped restore tree cover in areas hit by natural disasters, guided communities in managing their urban forests, helped green 660 schoolyards and organized annual urban forest conferences. To date, with our community partners and sponsors, we have planted more than 82 million trees.
treecanada.ca

For interviews, photos and more information:

Media Inquiries
Cristiane Doherty
Communications and Marketing Manager
Tree Canada
cdoherty@treecanada.ca
613-567-5545 ext. 224

Karyssa Bastien
Event Coordinator
Tree Canada
kbastien@treecanada.ca
613-567-5545 ext. 259