Several locations across Ontario and Canada
Number Of Trees
2,230,739
Key Impact Areas
- Forest Fire Restoration
- Biodiversity/Habitats
- Watershed/Riparian Restoration
- Climate Stability
- Soil Stability and Erosion Control
- Insects/Disease Recovery
- Indigenous Groups
- Social/Community Impact
Project Description
The 50 Million Tree Program (50MTP) plants and tracks millions of trees from seed to survival each year in Ontario on more than 500 sites annually and in collaboration with 57 planting partners. The 50MTP is a part of the United Nations Billion Tree Campaign—the goal of which is to plant seven billion trees worldwide.
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Ecological Benefits
Increasing forest cover is critical to ensuring healthy forests for our future, as well as their associated values. Trees and forests sequester harmful emissions, reduce flooding, and provide a cooling effect for our cities and towns. Trees are climate warriors, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, storing it as carbon, and releasing oxygen for us to breathe. Trees clean the water we drink and when planted along waterways and areas with poor soil conditions, trees can reduce soil erosion and protect water quality. Tree planting connects fragmented forests which will support wildlife habitat and maintain local plant and animal biodiversity. Tree planting is used to secure the health of our existing forests, establish new forests, connect forests, and improve the overall resilience of our landscapes.
Community Benefits
Trees and forests are integral components of healthy ecosystems that support healthy communities. They provide places in the community for outdoor recreation with biking and hiking trails, opportunities for neighbourhood gatherings in our green spaces, and places to play in our local parks. Our own mental and physical health and well-being are intricately interconnected with the health of our natural environment. Not only do green spaces encourage us to get outside and get active, but being around trees has proven to improve our mood, memory, and cognition. Forests and green spaces have also been linked to a significant decline in stress, improved rehabilitation, faster hospital recovery rates, and a decrease in the severity of symptoms in attention deficit disorders. By highlighting the links between human health and the health of rural and urban forests, Forests Ontario’s tree planting initiatives will stimulate collaborative action to significantly enhance and restore forest cover across Canada.
Tree Species
Tree species can primarily include, Eastern White Pine, White Spruce, Red Pine, Norway Spruce, Eastern White Cedar, Tamarack, Red Oak, European Larch, Silver Maple, Hybrid Poplar, Eastern Red Cedar, Sugar Maple, Black Cherry, Bur Oak, Black Walnut, White Birch, Swamp White Oak, Bitternut Hickory, White Oak, Red Maple, Tuliptree, Balsam Fir, Black Spruce, Trembling Aspen, American Basswood, Hackberry
