Richmond Hill plants nearly 10,000 trees in joint effort with community in 2020

5 hectares of land in parks and natural area have been restored

Yorkregion.com
Jan. 18, 2021
Sheila Wang

Richmond Hill came out of a tumultuous year a greener city.

The city planted 8,800 trees and shrubs partnering with local schools, businesses and community groups in 2020 though its community stewardship program, according to a release on Jan. 12.

Five hectares of land in parks and natural area have been restored through the award-winning program.

Trees have been planted in a variety of open spaces including Toll Bar Park and the neighbourhood at Harris Avenue.

“Our outdoor spaces have never been more important to our health and well-being. I’m proud of our community’s ongoing commitment to protecting our natural environment,” Mayor Dave Barrow said in the release.

The city also distributed 915 trees and shrubs, 2,350 wildflowers, 350 rain barrels and 300 backyard composters, which have been purchased by residents for their own property at an affordable cost through the city’s annual healthy yards program.

A total of 200 free Monarch-friendly plant kits were given out to residents help restore butterfly habitat by planting a pollinator garden on their property.

The release noted these programs and community initiatives carried out with health and safety protocols in place during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Environmental protection has been a top priority in the Richmond Hill community, as nearly half of the respondents to a community survey last October chose “protect the natural environment” as the No. 1 priority for Richmond Hill in the next two years.

The city gave special thanks to community volunteers and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), Local Enhancement and Appreciation of Forests (LEAF), Ontario Streams as well asYork Region for their help in the these environmental efforts.

For those who are interested in helping out as well, the city is currently accepting applications for collective gardens, which are run and maintained by community groups and/or organizations.

Visit RichmondHill.ca/Environment to learn more about Richmond Hill’s green initiatives.