Trees planted behind community centre in Goodwood

Trees planted behind community centre in Goodwood

by The Standard | June 25th, 2020 Podcast https://thestandardnewspaper.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/Trees-Planted-Goodwood-June-25th-2020.wav

COURTNEY McCLURE, for The Standard

UXBRIDGE: “Community plantings are a really good way to go,” said Clinton Harper of Oakridges Tree Care. There were many different types of trees, planted on May 1st, in Goodwood. Some of the species consisted of various types of birch trees, serviceberries and maple trees. Owner of Oakridges Tree Care, Clinton Harper, was one of the five people who joined forces to plant these trees. Along with Elliott Thompson (Cohen and Master Tree and Shrub Services), Nicole Vander Schaaf (Fleming College), Paul Leslie (Ballantrae Tree Care), Stefan Korte (Trailhead Tree Care). There was also a dog named Elle who one of the participants brought along. The tree saplings planted were all bareroot saplings, according to Mr. Harper. The saplings were provided by the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), who has a plant nursery in Vaughan. Mr. Harper estimated he and his group planted about 150 trees during the eight-hour time span they spent outside that day. The operation began at six in the morning, stated Mr. Harper. He hopped into his car, drove down to the plant nursery in Vaughan, picked up the tree saplings and arrived at the site later that morning. He said they didn’t finish until sometime after 6 p.m. in the evening. During a regularly scheduled planting, Mr. Harper said the group would have consisted of about 30 to 50 people, but they were not allowed to have that many people this time. He was only allowed to work with four other people including himself, making five, due to covid-19 restrictions. Usually when his tree care company does plantings such as this, they put an ad in one of the local newspapers asking for volunteers. “It’s kind of a word of mouth thing,” he explained. “Usually Boy Scouts of Canada definitely help us out a bunch.” Last autumn, there were a lot of people from the Ontario Woodlot Association helping out during that time. But Mr. Harper said they get many members from the community who help out. The Parks and Recreation department for the Township of Uxbridge were the ones who decided to plant the saplings behind the Goodwood Community Centre. According to Mr. Harper, it was the site the Parks Department recommended the group plant the saplings. The group has planted trees in the same area before during the spring and autumn months. Mr. Harper explained that location used to be a farmer’s field and the plan is to plant as many trees behind the Centre as possible so the land can be reforested. On the day the tree saplings were planted, there were already trees planted there from previous plantings. Before the actual plantings take place, they are organized by the Environmental Advisory Committee in the Township of Uxbridge. Mr. Harper is the chair of that specific committee. The Environmental Advisory Committee is a group of volunteers who work with the township. According to Mr. Harper, they will usually do a spring and an autumn tree planting each year, so they may be adding more trees behind the Goodwood Community Centre. Other places they have planted trees are Barton Farms and the Countryside Preserve in Uxbridge.