Photo of Moncton planting day
The TD Tree Planting Day events organized by the Petitcodiac Watershed Alliance (PWA) represents our resilience to build forest, enhance biodiversity and mitigate climate change in the Petitcodiac region. These initiatives brought together volunteers, partners, and staff with a similar goal.
Through out the year we had two major planting days. One in the City of Dieppe and the other at the city of Moncton (Centennial Park). PWA engaged 50 volunteers and planted a total of 158 native trees, each chosen to support the environment and urban forest recovery in the Dieppe area.
The first event took place in Dieppe, the plants of choice were Red Oak (20), Red Maple (45), Serviceberry (50), Eastern Hemlock (13), and White Birch (30). These species were selected for their ability to enhance long-term forest stability. Each tree was planted as a 1-gallon pot sapling ranging in size from 6 to 18 inches, allowing for stronger root development and higher rate of survival. The trees planted in Dieppe will be monitored periodically to ensure healthy growth and to address any early signs disturbance due to weather or human interactions.
Centennial Park event photo
The second TD planting event took place at Centennial Park which was even larger with 100 volunteers participating, PWA planted 305 trees. Centennial Park is one of the most popular recreation areas in the city of Moncton known for beautiful vegetation and ecological benefits. Its trails are often used for hiking and to teach campers. The plants of choice were Red Oak (100), Red Maple (45), Sugar Maple (50), American Mountain Ash (45), Serviceberry (20), Red Spruce (5), White Pine (20), and White Birch (20). A diverse range of species was selected to promote ecological resilience and restore natural forest structure within the park. One of the many goals of these project is to rebuild the forested canopy in areas that have experienced degradation over time due to high recreational traffic, and campers playing in the areas. Because of the constant attraction of people and pets throughout the area, PWA implemented measures to ensure the survival of the newly planted tree species. Our organization installed protective fencing around the planting sites to minimize impacts from the public, prevent damages, and provide the trees with a protected environment in which to establish their root systems. These measures will make it more effective to monitor the site and the trees to ensure growth.
Overall, the TD tree planting Day event was a success, and we would like to thank our Funders; TD, the volunteers, and municipalities for working together to foster green spaces and mitigate climate change.