Randall Van Wagner
Head of Tree Canada’s National Greening Program
Deforestation jeopardizes Canada’s climate and biodiversity. Tree Canada combats this threat by planting trees for a more sustainable future.
The loss of forest cover poses a critical threat to the integrity and biodiversity of Canada’s environment, compromising vital habitats and exacerbating climate change. That’s where Tree Canada comes in. It’s Canada’s sole non-profit organization dedicated to planting trees in every province, and in both urban and rural environments.
Their mandate isn’t just about growing better places to live for Canadians — Tree Canada aims to combat climate change through the deceptively simple act of tree planting.
Planting trees is a cheap, effective strategy to tackle climate change.
“Planting trees is a cheap, effective strategy to tackle climate change,” says Randall Van Wagner, Head of the organization’s National Greening Program. “Trees sequester carbon and produce oxygen, have a cooling effect, and protect our ecosystems by providing much-needed habitat for threatened and endangered species.”
Planting the right trees in the right places
Native trees have adapted to particular conditions over the course of their evolution. Tree Canada takes the natural balance of ecosystems into account by planting native species in regions where they align with the local environment. Choosing the right trees for each planting project enhances biodiversity and contributes to the sustainability of Canada’s stunning natural landscapes.
Rooted in partnership
Collaboration is the keystone of Tree Canada’s operations. The organization works with everyone from retired foresters and corporate sponsors to Indigenous communities, all of whom play a vital role in bringing projects from conception to execution.
The non-profit recently entered an historic partnership with the Northwest Territories’ Tłı̨chǫ Government to plant one million trees over the next three years in areas devastated by wildfires. It’s the largest reforestation project in the history of the Northwest Territories and aims to restore vital caribou habitat in the region.
Visit treecanada.ca to help restore land affected by wildfires and reforest areas in need across Canada.
