The Government of Canada has pledged millions to support reforestation efforts across the nation as part of the 2 Billion Trees (2BT) program, and that financial support was stepped up with an additional $101 million for Alberta, on July 21.

Parliamentary Secretary the Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, Corey Hogan, made the announcement of federal funding for the province at the Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation Area, which itself has been the beneficiary of the 2 Billion Trees program.

“Trees and forests are essential to life in this country. They clean our air, they cool our cities, and they strengthen community resilience. Planting trees is about more than just replacing what’s lost to wildfires, industry, agriculture, pests. It’s about restoring balance and renewing our connections with nature,” he said.

“By revitalizing our forest and expanding Green Spaces, we’re not only helping ecosystems to recover, we’re opening the door to new opportunities for communities, for nature and for future generations.”

The majority of the funding will be going to projects on throughout the province including on the Siksika Nation, and on farmland unable to produce cash crops.

But closer to Calgary, the funding will also ensure the long term support of the Junior Forest Wardens in their annual efforts to plant 10,000 at the Ann and Sandy Cross Conservation Area.

“They’ve been doing it for about 13 years now. As the prices of trees continue to increase, it didn’t become manageable for them to continue paying for it. We built the relationship, and from the help of the 2 Billion Tree program and different industry partners, Calgary Junior Forest Wardens and hopefully the Alberta Junior Forest Wardens won’t have to pay for any more trees,” said Mike Toffan, Executive Director of Project Forest.

“To come here and see 200 people, families and kids, put 200 trees to our 10,000 trees in the ground in one day. It’s pretty special.”

Creating a culture where trees matter

Hogan said that one of the major benefits of 2BT was that it showcases the value and benefit of planting trees.

“So, certainly, we hope that corporations and provinces take our lead and work with us and plant even more trees. Going forward, the intention is not after 2 Billion Trees we all forget the trees are great, but it’s that we create a culture that trees need to be constantly considered, and afforestation efforts need to go on,” he said.

He said that although it wasn’t the primary benefit of the funding, being good stewards of forests and planting more trees did provide economic benefits.

Toffan said both Pembina Pipeline and Kiros Pipelines have been among the Calgary corporations that have helped to leverage the 2BT program into support for Project Forest.

The planting of trees has provided economic benefits in the form of carbon credits, and for firms looking to achieve corporate social responsibility outcomes.

Deborah Yedlin, CEO of the Calgary Chamber of Commerce, said that the planting of trees has been broadly important for Calgary companies.

“We look at how we need to give our employees purpose beyond making something and producing something. This is a really, really great initiative, because it’s tangible. You can see the difference you’re making,” she said.

“Certainly, as MP Hogan pointed out, this isn’t part of the end conversation, this is the energy and the environment.”

She said that carbon molecules don’t have passports, so it makes sense for Calgary businesses to think about how to offset carbon.

Yedlin said the benefits also extend into the tourism sector.

“Just think about what Travel Alberta wants to do, what Tourism Calgary wants to do, in terms of increasing the size of our visitor economy. This is one way to do it,” she said.

“Certainly, when you have forests, you have wildlife, you have new opportunities to bring people here, and it just becomes a richer environment for anyone. As a cyclist, it is something is something I pay attention to every year as I come out here for the first time in the spring I always look around to see what’s changed, how do the forest, look what wildlife do I see, and what do I need to be thinking about.”