Excerpted from article published October 12, 2017 in Glebe Report.
Link to original article by Jennifer Humphries
For Canada’s 150th birthday, the Glebe Community Association (GCA), in partnership with Ecology Ottawa, has urged residents to get planting. Our target was 150 Glebe trees planted this year.
We are thrilled to announce that we have surpassed our goal, tallying 181 new trees in our community in 2017. We’ve compiled data from Ecology Ottawa’s tree giveaway at the Great Glebe Garage Sale, a GCA survey and three City of Ottawa programs: Trees in Trust, Streets and Parks.
Ecology Ottawa gave out 11,000 seedlings across the city this summer and is aiming to go beyond 20,000 in the coming year.
“We’re delighted,” says Angela Keller-Herzog, co-chair of the GCA environment committee. “After the decimation of our ash trees, retreeing our community seemed the ideal way to celebrate Canada’s special year.”
Autumn is the best season to plant trees, so don’t hesitate.
The city’s Trees in Trust has an estimated 12 plantings scheduled for the fall in our area. There are also 14 more trees slated for area parks and nine for our streets. The Trees in Trust fall plantings are now closed but interested community members should apply as soon as possible for the spring 2018 plantings.
We want to express our deepest thanks to all of you who made this arboreal commitment to quality of life in our community during Canada’s 150th year.
Quick Facts about Canada’s Maples
Of the 150 species of maple (genus Acer), only 13 are native to North America. Ten of these grow in Canada: sugar, black, silver, big leaf, red, mountain, striped, Douglas, vine and Manitoba maples. At least one of the 10 species grows naturally in every province. Canada’s arboreal emblem is the generic maple species. www.canada.ca/en/canadian-heritage/services/official-symbols-canada.html#a4
Ontario’s Maples
The Ontario’s Tree Atlas indicates that seven of Canada’s maples are native to our province: sugar, red, black, silver, Manitoba, mountain and striped. In the Southeast region, of which Ottawa is part, the tree atlas lists four maples – red, sugar, silver and striped – as native.
www.ontario.ca/environment-and-energy/tree-atlas/ontario-southeast/
Jennifer Humphries is co-chair of the Glebe Community Association’s Environment Committee. You can contact her at environment@glebeca.ca.