More than one million trees planted in Ausable Bayfield watersheds since 2006

More people are planting trees in watershed, planting more than one million trees since 2006

Ausable Bayfield Conservation encourages you to plant trees in 2024 to enhance your property and your local watershed

Ausable Bayfield Conservation announces that Spring Tree Order Form is here

Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority (ABCA), working with local landowners and other project partners, has planted more than one million trees since 2006. 

Ian Jean is ABCA Forestry and Land Stewardship Specialist. He said it is the work of local landowners, and the support of project partners including funding partners, that has made the tree program so successful. Local landowners plant tens of thousands of trees each year. 

“When we looked back at the numbers, recently, we noted that, since 2006, just more than one million trees had been planted across the watershed,” he said. “The other thing we noticed was an increasing trend in the number of people planting trees.” 

While more people are planting trees, this does not necessarily translate to more trees being planted each year. The number of trees planted in the watershed remains steady, fluctuating between 35,000 and 70,000 annually. The presence or absence of one or more large planting projects can make the difference between tree planting numbers at the higher or lower end of that range, according to Jean.

Trees and forests help to create clean air and clean water, Jean said. Trees and forests also contribute to better mental and physical health.

More than 200 landowners in the watershed planted trees or had ABCA staff plant trees for them in 2023. This high level of interest, in taking action to improve our water, air and soil, is worth noting. “People are engaged, and they are working to make positive improvements,” he said.

Spring is not far away and Ausable Bayfield Conservation staff say a sure sign of spring coming is the Spring Tree Order Form. It is posted at the conservation authority website at abca.ca on the Order Trees web page. 

Interested landowners may submit mail-in tree orders until January 31. Tree orders accompanied by payment are taken until February 29, 2024.

Ausable Bayfield Conservation Authority offers a wide range of trees through its spring tree planting program. The Forestry and Land Stewardship Specialist encourages interested landowners to visit abca.ca for the spring tree order form or to give him a call at 519-235-2610 or toll-free 1-888-286-2610 to discuss planting projects. 

“We’re happy to help with project design and help to apply for funding for eligible projects,” he said. Funding programs are available in many areas for naturalization dependent on the type of project, location and specific program details.

Ausable Bayfield Conservation thanks grant program funding partners including member municipalities, Huron County Clean Water Project, Forests Ontario, the Government of Canada’s Canada Nature Fund, Sunset Community Foundation and Ausable Bayfield Conservation Foundation, along with other funding partners, community donors and other valued funding partners.

If you have property on which you can plant trees, consider purchasing a tree through the tree order program. If you don’t have room on your property for trees, you can still help to improve forest conditions by donating to tree planting through the Footprints to Forests program.