WELLINGTON COUNTY – A small idea to plant 150,000 trees in recognition of Wellington County’s 150th anniversary has grown into something big.
The county’s Green Legacy Programme, the largest municipal tree planting program in North America, along with local politicians planted a seven-year-old red oak tree on the side of the Wellington County Museum and Archives.
While not much taller than the average adult in attendance, this young tree is being celebrated in a big way as the three millionth one planted by Green Legacy since the program started in 2004. The program stemmed from an idea of former Puslinch mayor and warden Brad Whitcombe, who died in 2014, and CAO Scott Wilson.
The program now has two nurseries in Wellington County and has a partnership with UGDSB students from Grade 1 to Grade 8 who volunteer with the program. After a tough period without volunteers during COVID, Green Legacy manager Rob Johnson confirmed they are coming back and will be able to push forward with the program in a more normal fashion.
Johnson explained to the crowd at a Wednesday afternoon ceremony the program has now become an example to other municipalities looking to enhance their tree coverage.
He said he had a call from Chatham-Kent, a region he said has very low tree coverage, from someone looking to emulate what has been done in Wellington County.
“They’re setting up a tour to see what we’re doing because they’re really trying to push this so they can start a Green Legacy,” Johnson said. “So we really spurred other communities to do it.”
Erin mayor Allan Alls, also the chair of the land division and planning committee, said the program has been recognized by the United Nations for significant environmental contribution but is also appreciated in the community.
“Our local farmers particularly appreciate the Green Legacy Programme as a windbreak, living snow fence and wetland buffers,” Alls said, adding it has the potential to raise crop yields as well.
On a bigger scale, Johnson cited an Oxford study when he said planting trees is one of the best things that can be done for climate change is planting a tree when looking at it in a cost-benefit way.
That single red oak tree will play its role although Johnson said in an interview there’s no real significance to choosing the red oak but that species does well in the soil it's being planted in.
For Johnson, hitting three million is just a culmination of years of work.
“Just trying to get as many as we can out every year,” Johnson said.
