The federal government has committed to plant two billion trees over 10 years.
Member of Parliament for Winnipeg South and parliamentary secretary to the minister of environment and climate change Terry Duguid announced Manitoba's multi-year tree-planting agreement Wednesday afternoon. He notes this benefits from a federal contribution of $8.85 million under the 2 Billion Trees (2BT) program.
"We announced a partnership with the provincial government, a $16 million program -- $8 million from the federal government and $8 million from the provincial government -- where we are going to collectively plant 1,000,000 more trees each year for the life of the 2 Billion Trees program," says Duguid.
He notes those one million trees will be planted throughout Manitoba.
"It's going to be helping us deal with climate change," continues Duguid. "Trees store carbon, but trees are very, very important for wildlife, for biodiversity, both in cities, out in the countryside, and in our northern regions all over the province. There are going to be many, many benefits from this program in terms of preserving our biodiversity, as well as assisting with the fight against climate change."
Duguid explains trees breathe in carbon dioxide and store it in wood and leaves. They then breathe out oxygen, which enables us to live on this planet.
"Some of the biggest storehouses of carbon on the planet are our forests," explains Duguid. "We can play a role in both beautifying and making our municipalities more resilient to climate change because our trees also provide us with air conditioning with shade. We're getting more and more hot days and we need that shade to protect our homes, our yards, and provide us with some relief from the hot weather that we are increasingly experiencing."
He says choosing locations to plant these trees can vary depending on the municipality.
"We've been losing trees to Dutch Elm disease. We may want to plant trees in locations where we've lost trees to either Dutch Elm disease or the Emerald Ash Borer because these foreign pests have come to our shores and they're having a big impact on the forest cover," says Duguid.
He notes this is a national program.
"The trees we planted (Wednesday) at FortWhyte Alive, they were Manitoba Maples, which are very adapted to the Manitoba climate," explains Duguid. "They're not called Manitoba Maples for nothing. That is a tree species that obviously fits the bill here in Manitoba, but in other parts of Canada and the Great Lakes region, there are more broad-leafed trees; Hickories and southern species can be planted there. It's a program that can be tailored to a region, and this is going to happen from coast to coast to coast."
He notes they just signed an agreement with the City of Winnipeg. Over the next five years, they will be planting 70,000 trees within the borders of that city.
"People love trees. I love trees. I'm an unashamed tree-hugger," adds Duguid. "Trees are very, very important to our community, to our families, and just about everybody that has a single-family dwelling has a tree on their property. This is a very welcomed and popular program with our residents."
He notes Canada has big issues of the day including climate change.
"Many feel powerless to do anything about it," adds Duguid. "Certainly, they can get rid of their gas guzzler and buy a more fuel-efficient car if they are able, but this is a program where our citizens can be engaged, and they can actually do something practical with their community in terms of fighting climate change. This is very much a participatory program. We had the Scouts and Cubs and Beavers out Wednesday helping us plant trees, gaining an appreciation for our forest landscapes, our urban canopy, and great environmental lessons at a young age. But importantly, they were involved and engaged in a program that is going to make the world a better place."