Rideau Valley Conservation Authority makes planting trees easier

_ (press release) _

August 9, 2016

, RURAL OTTAWA — Landowners thinking of planting 500 trees or more are encouraged to book their free site visit.

The Rideau Valley Conservation Authority offers private landowners a tree planting program that helps them get technical advice, planting plans and funding for trees. The goal is to make planting trees easy and affordable.

“If someone is thinking about planting trees next spring, now is the time where we like to get together with landowners and talk,” says Scott Danford, RVCA Forestry Program Manager. “Site visits help us understand the landowner’s objectives, inspect the property’s conditions and then work together to decide the best way to reforest the land.”

To be eligible, landowners need at least one acre of land and are willing to plant a minimum of 500 trees. If you have the space, RVCA can help get trees growing on your land for 15 cents a tree. Since 1983, RVCA has planted over 5.4 million trees on private property for landowners.

“The RVCA provides professional reforestation services including the site preparation, planning and planting,” says Danford. “We want to make it as easy and affordable as possible." The RVCA looks to ensure successful growth, with post planting visits and follow-up operations.

Tree planting is one the most practical ways to take care of our watershed and the wider environment. Trees improve local biodiversity by providing shelter for birds and wildlife, while at the same time providing us with windbreaks, screening and shade. Forests act as a major filter and cleansing system for water that soaks into the ground and feeds our wells and underground water systems. The newly planted trees take a little tender loving care in their early years, but once they are “free-growing,” they provide all of these advantages for up to 80 years or more.

The program is made possible thanks to the RVCA’s 18 member municipalities, the City of Ottawa’s Green Acre Program, the Province of Ontario’s 50 Million Tree Program, Forest Ontario and numerous private businesses and watershed residents who donate to the tree planting program.

To get more information or to book a free site visit, contact Scott Danford, RVCA Forestry Program Manager at 613-692-3571 or 1-800-387-5304, ext. 1175 .