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NVCA hosts tree planting event at Conservation Area

October 21, 2021   ·   0 Comments

After a spring effort to remove hundreds of infected ash trees, the Tottenham Conservation Area received some new greenery on Saturday, October 16, when volunteers with the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority arrived to introduce new plants around the park.

Volunteers planted wildflowers, trees, and shrubs to enhance pollinator habitat in the park.

Due to COVID-19 protocols, volunteers were asked to pre-register to take part in the event.

The planting coincided with two other NVCA volunteer planting events held around the region over a period of two weeks.

Volunteers David Taylor and Erin Bell brought their own shovels and rain gear along with other items needed to work outdoors – especially if the weather turned sour.

Most of the day was held under cloudy skies, but rain moved in just after noon.

“The NVCA contracted with a nursery,” David explained. “There was a lot of ash trees they were trying to repopulate from the emerald ash borer problem.”

David has a vested interest in the program as an environmentalist.

“I graduated from the Environmental Technology program at Georgian College, and they sent out announcements for anyone who wanted to volunteer. There are also other Conservation Authorities doing this today. We planted a lot of green ash, white pine, silver maple, and some sugar maples.”

While volunteers had to dig some holes, Conservation Authority members brought a machine to dig many of the holes.

“They came with a big machine that dug the holes for us,” Erin explained. “We had to dig around 50 plants – they gave us some plants that we weren’t expecting. I love nature and helping out. I always wanted to do tree planting so when David asked, I said yes. They (NVCA) taught us everything. They gave us a step-by-step instruction at the beginning and we went out and did it.”

The results of the day were evident at the top end of the park where the seedlings could be seen protected by plastic wrap-around tubes that will help protect them going into the winter months.

Volunteers also spent considerable time planting at the far end of the park in spots determined to be appropriate by the NVCA.

By Brian Lockhart
Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

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