Trees For Woolwich is shifting its focus from planting trees in parks and green spaces to protecting local waterways by restoring stream banks and riparian zones. That initiative is key to preventing erosion, filtering pollutants and supporting biodiversity across the area, the organization says.
Founded in 2011, Trees for Woolwich began with just 48 trees planted at the Bloomingdale community centre, followed by a flagship tree in Elmira’s Gore Park. Since then, the group has planted more than 100,000 trees and continues to aim for 5,000 new seedlings each year.
While its core mission of reforesting the area and restoring the tree canopy continues, the organization is now prioritizing riparian restoration in an effort to stabilize and strengthen the thin strips of land that border Woolwich’s creeks and rivers.
