More than 100 staff members from Wellington County and the Town of Minto joined together on Monday to celebrate 10 years of the Green Legacy Program.
Equipped with shovels and mulch, they planted more than 500 trees during the annual Warden’s Tree Planting at the Minto municipal office near Harriston.
“Today, we worked together to promote a healthier community for our residents,” said county Warden and Minto Mayor George Bridge.
“We also established a legacy that will connect our generation with generations to come. Trees provide many environmental, social, personal and community benefits, and I want to thank all who took part in this special day.”
This year alone, the county partnered with private landowners, local municipalities, schools, service clubs and conservation authorities to plant more than 162,000 trees.
Since the inception of the Green Legacy program in 2004, more than 1.9 million trees have been planted throughout the county.
Internationally-recognized, it is the largest municipal tree planting program in North America.
“Trees benefit the environment in many ways,” said Rob Johnson, manager of the tree nursery program.
“Trees absorb carbon dioxide and produce oxygen, they improve an area’s water quality and help with reducing surface water runoff, and they help provide a habitat and food for birds and other animals. It’s a great way to protect and grow our environment.”
Order forms for the 2016 Green Legacy program are available at www.wellington.ca.
