A familiar figure was saluted by county council for his work with the Green Legacy program that has won Wellington County much good publicity all over the world.
Planner Mark Van Patter, who has been working on the program since its inception, told councillors Nov. 24 that former Puslinch mayor Brad Whitcombe “best represents the Green Legacy program. He’s been our mentor in Green Legacy for a few years now.”
Van Patter told Whitcombe, “You pushed us in favour. You’ve been a champion of Green Legacy here. You had confidence that people and landowners could do the job. Brad was adamant the community could do the job.”
The program has seen over a million trees planted around Wellington County since it was started to celebrate the county’s 150th anniversary. Van Patter noted Whitcombe is still on the Green Legacy committee.
Whitcombe said the idea for the tree planting project was actually chief administrative officer Scott Wilson’s, and they had discussed it over dinner.
He said he recently learned southern Ontario was the site of the largest clear cutting in pioneer days and it seems appropriate to replant a lot of them today.
“It’s really our obligation,” he said. “We’ve benefited from development and now it’s time to give back. Trees are not just good for the soul, but also for the environment.”
He cited the county’s use of planting trees as living snow fencing as an excellent use, and he added he knows the county is working with tornado ravaged Goderich and will likely be providing trees for that town in the spring.
He thanked staff for the award and their hard work, but noted, “It’s really the people of Wellington County who go out and plant the trees.
The group award for the Green Legacy this year was for the life skills class at Bishop MacDonnell High School in Guelph.
Brad Poole, a cooperative student who works at the Green Legacy tree nursery in Puslinch Township, said he got to meet new friends and learn leadership and problem solving skills while at the nursery.
Teacher David O’Brien said he appreciates the holistic approach the nursery uses when working with students. He said students such as Poole “truly benefited from the program”
The awards, carved slabs of wood, were presented to the winners.
