The Green Legacy Nursery North was officially opened on Oct. 1 with the planting of about 1,500 trees and shrubs by 100 volunteers.
The nursery is a joint venture between Wellington County, the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) and the Upper Grand District School Board, with a long-term goal of reforesting 30 per cent of the county – up from the current level of 17 per cent.
“I think we’re up to about 1.4 million trees planted,” county councillor Shawn Watters, chairman of the Wellington County land division and planning committee, told those assembled for the tree planting and opening ceremony. “It’s the biggest municipal program in North America.”
GRCA chairman Jane Mitchell added, “We’re looking at 30 per cent tree cover in the Grand River watershed.”
Tree nursery manager Rob Johnson said the Damascus facility is the second one operated by the county, the first being in Puslinch. The nurseries grow a variety of ash, elm, maple, oak and fir trees, all native to this area.
Johnson said there is a history of clear cutting of trees in the province.
“Ontario is the largest clear cut in the world over the past 150 years,” he said, rivaling clear cutting of the Amazon rain forest.
The nurseries have developed a close working relationship with students who volunteer their time planting seedlings and trees, and high school students teaching public school students about the value of reforestation and its impact on the environment.
In 2011 and 2012 primary students growing trees from seed numbered 7,275. There were 2,250 junior students who visited the Puslinch nursery and 680 at the Damascus nursery. Those planting trees included 1,845 students and 600 service groups putting in thousands of hours of volunteer time. In total, elementary school students gave about 15,500 volunteer hours.
There were 24 schools involved in the 2011-12 year.
“We had another 12 groups, high schools and corporate (which) included another 554 people giving another 5,380 hours,” Johnson said. “Our total number of people involved in the program growing trees from seed in schools, volunteering at the nursery and working with us on out plants is 11,404 giving 23,253 hours.”
The Green Legacy program has also received accolades for its work, including the Lee Symmes Municipal Award from Ontario Nature.
The award recognizes community leadership and exceptional achievement in planning and implementing programs that protect and regenerate the natural environment within a community. The Green Legacy was selected for its outstanding community leadership in providing the opportunity for hands-on experience growing and planting trees for local environmental groups, service clubs and schools in the county.
“This is a great honour for Wellington County,” Mark Van Patter, chairman of the Green Legacy tree planting committee, said when the award was handed out.
Since its inception in 2004, the Green Legacy has planted over 150,000 trees each year and Van Patter said the program will concentrate its focus on the living snow fence program by planting trees along dangerous parts of county roads.
At the grand opening, school board trustee Mark Bailey pointed to the CELP (Community Environmental Leadership Program) with student involvement.
“We are fortunate to have local elementary and secondary schools from our Wellington side involved in this project and with the Luther Marsh development,” Bailey said.
“Each year almost 400 grade four students come out to the marsh for our Wetland of Excellence program, which is sponsored by out partner Ducks Unlimited. These grade four students are led by out Grade 10 CELP students for an entire day through an interactive trail, critter dipping, where they identify ecosystems and wildlife at the ponds and play a host of environmental games.
“Our students are becoming better citizens of the world through involvement in this project. This year Wellington Heights Secondary School was selected as runner up in the Learning for a Sustainable Future, Jack Layton award.”
Mayor Ray Tout congratulated the volunteers for their planting efforts and said the township was “honoured” to have the northern nursery located within its boundaries.
