In Southern Ontario’s Rouge Valley, 10,000 Trees uses volunteer power to rebuild natural habitat
How long has 10,000 Trees for the Rouge been around?
They were out in Ontario’s Rouge Valley with shovels and seedlings—before tree planting was even a thing.
“When we started this in 1989, it was unique. Back then, it just wasn’t in vogue to do tree planting,” recalls Robert Roszell, chairman of Markham-based 10,000 Trees. “In fact, we got no government support back then, and we ended up needing private funding to do an urban forest.”
As 10,000 Trees prepares to celebrate its 30th birthday in 2019, organizers are still on the hunt for five to seven acres of land every year to host their massive annual one-day public tree-planting event.
In recent years, they’ve also turned their attention to restoring and enhancing sites already sporting the 10,000 Trees green footprint—as was the case this past spring, when about 3,250 people turned out to plant 5,735 trees, shrubs and wildflowers near Waldon Pond at Austin Drive, the organization’s planting site from 1991.
The group takes its name from the original goal of planting 10,000 trees a year, all in one day. But given the poor seedling survival rates of those first few years, fluctuating land availability, and ongoing adaptation, 10,000 Trees activities now include:
- Seeding bee gardens and planting flowering shrubs to support pollinators from spring to fall;
- Using guidance from a professional forester, as required by Ontario law, with special expertise in landscape restoration; and
- Installing deer fencing, “rodent wraps” and mulch for trees to protect their investment.
Image gallery: 10,000 Trees for the Rouge
Since 1989, this conservation-minded group and its volunteers have helped restore more than 180 acres of fragile watershed land in Southern Ontario
“Given the sharp decline in pollinators, particularly wild bees, we knew that pollinator gardens and other riparian enhancements had to be part of our focus,” says Roszell. “And now, a five-year overall survival rate typically exceeds 75 percent—and where there are failures, we’ve been able to go back and replant.”
Enbridge is committed to a sustainable future, helping to meet North America’s growing energy needs in ways that are economically, environmentally and socially responsible. We donated more than $6.5 million to community-enhancing initiatives across Ontario in 2017—and last month in Markham, we supported 10,000 Trees with a $2,500 grant, while Enbridge volunteers helped plant trees and also served lunch at the event.
During its annual tree plantings, 10,000 Trees places special emphasis on youth. Nearly 400 high school students turned out this year, as did dozens of kids and teens from the Scouts and Girl Guides organizations.
“We plant wildflowers in four-inch pots, which means the younger children can dig a hole at these events too now. We find the kids need to touch, feel and get involved to truly remember the experience,” says Roszell.
“Believe it or not, we had 400 high-school kids out this spring, and none of them were looking at their phones—they were getting their hands dirty instead.”
