WAWANESA PARTNERS WITH TREE CANADA TO HOST 10 PLANTING EVENTS ACROSS CANADA
Tree Canada
Tree Canada is excited to have Wawanesa Insurance join as a partner in planting. This fall they hosted 10 Tree Canada planting events in 8 provinces across the country. The company had more than 500 employees volunteer their time and contribute to increasing Canada’s tree canopy.
Wawanesa has selected plantings of trees and shrubs in green spaces that will help people and communities be more climate resilient. They will better equip communities to withstand extreme weather events and other climate impacts. As the trees and plants grow, they will act as carbon sinks, sequestering carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Tree Canada is proud to be one of Wawanesa’s Climate Champions, as an organization that is working on the front lines of climate change helping to build more climate resilient communities.
Here’s a closer look at each planting site and how these events will benefit the local environment and community.
Halifax, NS – Hammonds Plains (Westwood Hills subdivision)
September 25th, 2023
In May of 2023, over 150 homes and thousands of trees were damaged and destroyed in a devastating wildfire in the “peri-urban” areas around Halifax. Hammonds Plains was one of the hardest hit areas, as the forests of spruce burned hot and fast. Tree Canada has partnered with the Halifax Regional Municipality to help reforest a wild park area in the Westwood Hills subdivision. Using FireSmart principles, volunteers assisted in planting a combination of maple and pine seedlings to provide habitat, soil erosion protection, wind protection, and to return trees to this area.
Moncton, NB – Peter Jonah Covered Bridge
September 27th, 2023
The Turtle Creek Watershed is home to the Tri-Communities drinking water supply of Moncton, Riverview and Dieppe. The landowners have been working together to protect this drinking water supply. Planting trees in abandoned farm fields will act as natural filter removing pollutants from the water and add to conservation efforts and support sustainable initiatives within the watershed!
Montreal, QC – Marcel-Laurin urban woodland
September 29th, 2023
Located in the heart of Canada’s largest industrial park and Montreal’s largest heat island, the Marcel-Laurin Park Woodland is an urban lung for the borough of Saint-Laurent. Planting trees and shrubs in the woodland will help to diversify and accelerate the regeneration of the woodland, which has been recently hit hard by the emerald ash borer and invasive species such as buckthorn.
Mississauga, ON – Totoredaca Park
September 28th, 2023
Totoredaca Park has a scarce number of trees and is predominately mowed grass. The goal at this park is to plant more native trees and shrubs to increase the existing naturalized area so that it will no longer require mowing. Less mowing will reduce the amount of fossil fuels burned and the new plantings will capture carbon from the atmosphere as they grow.
Saskatoon, SK – Whitecap Park
October 2nd, 2023
Planting along the South Saskatchewan River will help with the naturalization of a large area of the river using native species of trees and shrubs to restore the nature function of the land.
Wawanesa, MB – Community Park
September 27th, 2023
Volunteers will help provide tree canopy along the banks of the Souris River. Planting trees like this provides environmental benefits such as cooling, bank stabilization, runoff control, and water retention. Volunteers will be planting trees such as spruce, fir, and pine, adding to the variety of hardwoods and other conifers on the site.
Winnipeg, MB – Fort Whyte
September 25th, 2023
The planting at Fort Whyte will involve underplanting the existing forest of sterile hybrid poplar trees to add more thermal cover and increase the longevity of the naturalized area, as the poplar tree is a short-lived species.
Edmonton, AB – Callaghan Park
September 22nd, 2023
The planting in Callaghan Park will help extend and diversify the mature trembling aspen and white spruce stand in the park. Adding native species to this area will significantly contribute to enhancing biodiversity in the area and act as a natural fencing. This will also contribute to fostering a thriving ecosystem and contribute to cleaner and healthier area.
Calgary, AB – Fish Creek Provincial Park
September 21st, 2023
The Fish Creek Provincial Park planting is strategically placed along the river, which will help with reducing erosion by stabilizing the soil. This site has special significance as being the favorite hunting grounds of the Tsuut’ina First Nation and on the traditional territory of the Blackfoot Confederacy.
Vancouver, BC – Heywood Park
October 5th, 2023
The goal of this planting event in the Heywood Park natural area is to complement the local flora and fauna through planting of native plant species and removal of invasive plants that may out compete the local vegetation. Through these actions the environmental aspects of this area will continue to grow and thrive, providing unique opportunities for future generations.
We thank Wawanesa Insurance for participating in the Partners in Planting program. Their efforts will contribute to healthier communities, ecosystems, and a healthier planet.
Be sure to let us know if your company or organization would also like to contribute to increasing Canada’s tree canopy by contacting us.
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