MEDIA RELEASE TREE TRUST CENTRE WELLINGTON
Some 80 people were on hand on a beautiful October morning to celebrate Tree Trust Centre Wellington as they stewarded their program’s tenth tree: a legacy Sugar Maple at 365 Garafraxa St. West in Fergus.
Initially, the Township had planned to remove the Maple but instead allowed Tree Trust to save it to make up for the removal of a nearby beloved neighbourhood tree that came down to accommodate road construction.
Speakers at the event included Mayor Kelly Linton, homeowner Dr. Eimear O’Neill and 10 students from the Elora Montessori School who sang about the importance of trees to everyone’s delight.
The stewardship of this this tree was sponsored by Fergus-Elora Rotary Club. Rob Galloway, President of the local club was pleased to be a partner and remarked that Tree Trust is a local program that reflects Rotary Club’s environmental focus. A plaque has been placed at the base of the tree acknowledging their generous donation.
Other Tree Trust sponsors were thanked at the event: Bellin Law, Ecclestone Financials Inc. and George Mochrie Real Estate Corporation.
At the conclusion, Tree Trust Approved Arborists from Baum Tree Care climbed up to the top of the tree and got to work removing deadwood and reducing the canopy, providing an aerial show of skill and artistry that many stayed to watch and marvel.
Afterword, Historian Al Koop led a tree walk of some of storied trees in Elora’s Victoria Park.
“Senior trees are a vital component to a healthy urban forest,” says Jaimie McDonald, Tree Trust Centre Wellington’s coordinator. “One mature tree does the work of close to 300 saplings – storing carbon, housing wildlife and providing shade. And street trees provide the added benefit of slowing the flow of rainwater so it can percolate into the soil instead of overloading storm sewers.”
Program manager, Toni Ellis, points out that for people starting to travel again, Tree Trust’s website offers a handy calculator so you can help make up for the carbon cost of flying, receive a tax receipt and have satisfaction of being able to visit the trees their gift supported.
For more information, please visit treetrust.ca.
