The Saskatchewan Wildlife Federation and Tree Canada joined forces to plant 20,000 trees on the weekend on Wildlife property about 10 kilometres north of Veregin.
On June 6 Kelvin Kelly, a Saskatchewan advisor arborist with Tree Canada at Saskatoon picked up the seedlings from a tree nursery in Big River and transported them to Canora where Wildlife members Doug Lapitsky and Louis Zawislak, who are members of the River Ridge Fish and Game of Canora assisted with the unloading, Kelly explained.
Professional planters arrived in time to begin the planting on June 7.
鈥淭hese are professional planters and should have the 20,000 seedlings in the ground by the end of the day on Sunday or be finishing up on Monday morning,鈥� Kelly said, adding that following the planting, he would conduct an assessment on the quality of planting.
鈥淭his is a great project with strong environmental and conservation objectives,鈥� he said.
The SWF and Tree Canada partnered to plant 20,000 white spruce seedlings through their National Greening program, a mass seedling planting program which targets areas in need of reforestation or afforestation across Canada, said a release from Tree Canada.
Co-ordinated by a Tree Canada contractor, in consultation with the SWF land manager and area members, the planting was on 22 hectares of land adjacent to the Assiniboine River.
As the planting sites act as an important green buffer and wildlife corridor, the reforestation will further improve the habitat for wildlife and increase the enjoyment of the area by outdoor enthusiasts, the release said. The reduction of wind erosion and the stabilization of the soil brought about by planting trees will also result in a cleaner Assiniboine river and watershed.
Up to 63,000 seedlings will be planted over a two-year period on a total of 39 hectares of land.
