Ottawa – The City’s Green Acres Reforestation Program reached a major milestone this year, with the planting of the two millionth tree.
The program is a partnership between the City and its three local conservation authorities: Mississippi Valley Conservation Authority in the west, Rideau Valley Conservation Authority in central and South Nation Conservation Authority in the east. Through this program, residents with unused land can apply to reforest it and receive support to maintain the newly planted trees.
Green Acres generates significant benefits for the entire region. Along with producing oxygen, trees also capture carbon, clean the air, create habitat and help reduce the impacts of floods, droughts and erosion.
Quick facts:
- The Green Acres Rural Reforestation Program was established in the year 2000 to help grow and maintain forest cover by replacing trees lost during the 1998 ice storm and well as to development and construction.
- Green Acres has planted an average of 92,500 trees each year
- Landowners commit to reforesting at least 1.25 acres with a minimum of 1,000 trees
- Conservation authority staff help maintain the new trees for five years to maximize survival rates
- The City provides annual base funding so the conservation authorities can work with willing landowners to create custom planting plans, order the seedlings and complete the planting each spring
The top Ottawa wards for tree planting include:
- West Carleton-March (922,062 trees to date)
- Rideau-Goulbourn (569,536 trees to date)
- Cumberland (249,014 trees to date)
- Osgoode (220,110 trees to date)
- Plus 73,950 across the remaining Ottawa wards
While the 2022 program is already full, residents interested in reforesting their land are encouraged to visit ottawa.ca for more information.
Version française page 2
