Ontario's First 50 Million Tree Planting Weekend Launched - May 8 - 9, 2009

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
(Free-Press-Release.com) April 9, 2009 -- Donna Cansfield, Minister of Natural Resources,
kicked off the spring tree planting season and announced Ontario’s first
annual 50 Million Tree Weekend which will feature major community tree
planting events during this year’s Mother’s Day weekend.

A team of Girl Guides and the minister planted a healthy native white pine
at Toronto’s waterfront to kick-off Ontario’s busy tree planting season.

Over the next six weeks, Trees Ontario is expected to plant approximately

two million trees as part of the Ontario government’s 50 Million Tree
program, which will see 50 million trees planted in southern Ontario by
2020. This is the single largest commitment to the United Nations Billion
Tree Campaign aimed at planting one billion trees worldwide each year.

With today’s announcement, Mother’s Day weekend becomes the focal point of
community-based tree planting initiatives for the 50 Million Tree Program.

Last fall and winter, Trees Ontario and its tree planting partners hosted
free tree planting workshops across the province.

“I’m overwhelmed by the attendance at those workshops, which helped us
secure many tree planting commitments from Ontario landowners,” said
Cansfield. “The 50 Million Tree Weekend will make it easy for Ontarians to
take part and show their enthusiasm for greening the province and helping to
fight climate change.”

This year’s 50 Million Tree Weekend will feature community tree planting
events across the province including Guelph, Alliston and Mississauga on May
8 and Whitchurch- Stouffville (near Newmarket) and Kingston on May 9. More
details on these and other tree planting events can be found at

www.50milliontreeweekend.com .

“Now in its second year, the 50 Million Tree Program has already had close
to 1.3 million trees planted across Ontario, with another two million to go
into the ground in the next six weeks,” said Michael Scott, President and
CEO, Trees Ontario. “The more people that become involved, the more trees
we can plant to meet our commitment to the United Nations and reach our goal
for a greener Ontario."

Dates, times, and locations:

May 8
10 a.m.–2 p.m.
GUELPH/ERAMOSA:
Guelph Rotary Forest

Guelph Lake Conservation Area
7743 Conservation Dr., RR 4

May 8
10 a.m.–2 p.m.
NEAR ALLISTON:
Tosorontio Concession Road 3
(North of 5th sideroad)
Adjala-Tosorontio

May 8
10 a.m.–2 p.m.
MISSISSAUGA:
Riverrun Park, Pine Cliff Drive
(Northwest of Creditview/Britannia)

May 9
10 a.m.–2 p.m.
WHITCHURCH-STOUFFVILLE:
Near Newmarket
York Regional Forest Graves and Bendor Tract, Davis Drive
(Between Kennedy and McCowan)

May 9
9 a.m.–11:30 a.m.
KINGSTON:

Lemoine Point Conservation Area,
1990 Front Road

To sign up, or for more information and maps, go to http://www.50milliontreeweekend.com
To visit the Trees Ontario website, go to http://www.treesontario.ca

     mothers day     natural resources     tree planting     Trees Ontario     weekend