SDG COUNTIES, Ontario - As part of its full-service planting program to help improve tree cover in its watershed jurisdiction in eastern Ontario, the Raisin Region Conservation Authority (RRCA) is booking free site consultations for local property owners wanting to add 500 trees or more to their land.
“If you have ever thought about planting or enhancing a forest, windbreak, or riparian buffer on your property, this could be your chance,” said Cheyene Brunet, RRCA’s acting stewardship coordinator. “Simply give us a call and we can arrange a free site consultation to see how your tree planting goals could become reality.”
Site consultations include assessments of the land’s features, such as drainage, topography, soil conditions, competing vegetation, and more. The RRCA can then prepare a planting plan for the property, provide guidance on site preparations, source and plant native seedlings, and conduct follow-up assessments. Thanks to partnerships with Forests Canada, ALUS Ontario East, and others, the RRCA can offer significant subsidies for property owners.
“There are limited spots left for our 2025 planting season, so we encourage landowners in RRCA’s jurisdiction to take advantage of this opportunity to add native trees to their land,” sayid Brunet. “Whether your tree planting goal is shoreline stabilization, wildlife habitat, wind protection, privacy, aesthetics, or simply good environmental stewardship; we are interested in working with you.”
For those wanting to plant smaller projects, the RRCA also offers an over-the-counter seedling sale that provides native trees and shrubs at low costs. Through its various forestry programs, the RRCA has planted more than 1.3 million trees since 1994. One of Ontario’s 36 conservation authorities, the RRCA is a watershed-based, community-led, not-for-profit organization that offers natural resource management and conservation programs for a better environment and healthy future.