Wilmot Roots sells out of trees
In celebration of Earth Day, the Township of Wilmot offered a free tree giveaway program called Wilmot Roots for the second year in a row.
This community initiative is the result of a donation of funds from Enova Power Corporation to help reforest the township. With the ongoing organizational support of the volunteer-based Let’s Tree Wilmot group, the township offered over 300 free trees to residents this spring.
Chris Catania is the township’s director of community services and said the program is an important one.
“There will be times in many municipalities when trees come down. They are diseased or at the end of their life span so what we are trying to do is ensure we are replanting as we need to. This is an opportunity for residents to plant a free tree on their property.”
He added the township is thrilled with the uptake from Wilmot residents.
“It’s a very successful initiative. When the registration opened, there was a supply of about 345 trees. They included sugar maples, white spruce, white pine and red maples. It’s one of these initiatives where we promote it and we have had a really good community uptake when it comes to signing up and participating.”
Going forward the township hopes not only to continue with Wilmot Roots but expand on it.
“We would like to increase the tree canopy in Wilmot. If the funding is still available, then we would definitely want to promote it.”
Catania added if funding were to increase, he would like to see more species of trees available to participants.
“We have something that is working well. It’s great for the environment, great for the community and we want it to be successful.”
The program has a limit of one tree per household and that tree must be planted in the Township of Wilmot on private property. Residents are responsible for planting and caring for the tree.
Lee Griffi, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Wilmot-Tavistock Gazette
