TORONTO, ON – The Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign and Forests Ontario have joined forces to advance tree planting efforts, which pay tribute to the soldiers of the Canadian armed forces, past and present, through the planting of 1.8 million trees.
Through the campaign, tree planting subsidies covering up to 90 percent of tree planting costs are being offered to reforest properties that fall within the ‘Highway of Heroes Boundary’ – approximately 15km of Highway 401 between Toronto’s Keele Street and Trenton, Ontario. Property owners with as little as one acre of open land may be eligible for the campaign, though preference will be given to sites with 2.5 acres or more available.
“We are thrilled to be working with HOH to honour members of our military while also improving Ontario’s environment,” said Rob Keen, CEO of Forests Ontario. “We hope that these trees will serve as living tributes to those who fought and continue to fight bravely for our country.”
Planting partners that will assist with the tree planting include Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, Central Lake Ontario Conservation Authority, Lower Trent Conservation, and Ganaraska Region Conservation Authority.
“We are proud to announce details of the Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign’s Private Landowner Partnership Program,” said Mark Cullen, Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign Chair & Co-Founder. “Through this program, you could have a piece of the world’s largest living tribute while doing your part to protect our environment, beautify our communities and honour our Canadian heroes.”
With over 3,000 individual donors that have given generously to support the creation of this living tribute, the Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign is uniting Canadians as few things can. To date, the Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign has seen over 100,000 trees planted between Trenton and Toronto.
Property owners living within the Highway of Heroes Boundary who wish to plant trees can call April Stevenson, HOH’s Tree Planting Stewardship Manager, at 905-885-8173 ext. 228 or email her at april@hohtribute.ca.