Lanark County giveaway offers triples the trees

Media Release

LANARK COUNTY, Sept. 15, 2021 — After a long wait, Lanark County is once again hosting a free tree giveaway this fall – with nearly three times as many trees available.

The county will offer 3,000 free trees on Sat. Sept. 25 at the Lanark County Perth Garage on Christie Lake Road. The drive-through event will allow residents to take home up to 10 native trees including red pine, white pine, tamarack, white birch, yellow birch and white cedar. Trees will be available from 9 am to 12 p.m. while supplies last.

Event organizer Michelle Vala from the County’s Public Works department said the giveaway is an important part of Lanark County’s goal to plant one million trees over 10 years as part of its climate action plan.

“We’re using these trees to store more carbon, to help the county become more resilient to climate change,” Vala said.

The effort dovetails perfectly with the RVCA’s commitment to watershed resiliency through tree planting and other stewardship efforts. Along with carbon sequestration, trees can help reduce floods and droughts, manage erosion, create wildlife habitat and contribute to more vibrant communities.  

The County first partnered with RVCA for the giveaway in June 2020, but due to pandemic restrictions had not been able to host other events until now. A spring giveaway in May 2021 was cancelled due to the provincial stay-at-home order.

“I think this will be a very popular event,” Vala said. “The last event in 2020 was well-attended and people have been waiting a long time to come back.”

While ten trees is more than enough for most residents, those with bigger dreams (and bigger properties) may be eligible for the RVCA’s landowner tree planting program, which offers large-scale planting at a fraction of the cost. The RVCA plants about 90,000 trees in Lanark County each year, helping to transform idle or marginal land into thriving forests.

To participate, landowners need a minimum of 1.25 acres and must be willing to plant at least 1,000 trees. This type of work would usually cost an average of $3/tree, but the RVCA’s program only costs $0.15/tree thanks to its generous funding partners. These include Forests Ontario, One Tree Planted, the Rideau Valley Conservation Foundation and more.

The Spring 2022 planting season is booking up fast, so contact our forestry team today to schedule your free site visit. Learn more at rvca.ca/stewardship-grants/tree-planting.