Want to plant trees? Check out LSRCA seedling deal

Yorkregion.com
Feb. 15, 2015
By Chris Traber

Spring officially begins March 20, but the Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority is already thinking about it.

Spring means tree planting season and the authority is selling tree seedlings to private landowners at a reduced cost.

Each year, the organization, entrusted to protect and restore the environmental health and quality of Lake Simcoe and its watershed, plants thousands of native trees, watershed stewardship manager Phil Davies said.

“Because we buy trees in bulk for our own planting programs, we can offer a limited supply to the public at good prices,” he said. “We’re targeting people with large parcels of land that want to buy at least 100 seedlings.”

Planting trees is a relatively simple way to achieve significant positive environmental benefits. Landowners who purchase and plant trees through the program are improving their property and making a big difference to improve the health of the watershed, Davies said.

The authority has the capacity and expertise to help landowners who have larger pieces of land and want to buy and plant at least 100 trees.

“We have very knowledgeable forestry staff that can help property owners develop a planting schedule and advise them about the grant programs available to bring the costs down even more,” he said. “We also have the equipment to plant the trees for you.”

Supplies are limited and ordering closes March 13. Native species include white pine, tamarack, white cedar and others.

You can order seedlings online at lsrca.on.ca. They range in cost from 58 to 70 cents per seedling plus taxes and shipping.

For more information or to book a complementary, no-obligation site visit call forest technician Paul Cottenden at 905-895-1281, ext. 245 or toll free at 1-800-465-0437.

“Paul has been with authority for more than 14 years and has a wealth of knowledge that he’d love to share,” Davies said.