Using the beautiful spring weather to their full advantage, this past weekend 40 volunteers put regenerative travel in action by planting trees on the Niagara Escarpment near Barrow Bay, a small hamlet on the Bruce Peninsula. Here, the 5.6 acre old Palmer property until now was mainly meadow with apple and hawthorn trees due to extensive logging of its woodlands in the late 1800s and the 1900s. It was the perfect location to plant trees as part of our One Percent for the Future project, through which we aim to mitigate our client's flights' carbon emissions.
Eventually the property’s woodland habitat will be revitalized by planting over 600 native fruit and nut bearing trees and shrubs. Over a dozen species of native plants will add valuable biodiversity to provide sustenance and shelter to many species of birds, wildlife and pollinators found on the peninsula. The fruit and nut bearing trees and shrubs include Red Oak, Hickory, Elderberry, Serviceberry, Chokecherry and Winterberry.
The first planting of 250 trees was a great success and we estimate more than 70% of trees will grow to maturity.
The next phase for restoring the property is this fall - 400 additional fruit and nut bearing trees and shrubs, including the endangered American Chestnut. It was considered the ”grandaddy of the forest” before a deadly blight hit in the 20th century.
A big thank you to all the volunteers who came out to help and a special thanks to all those involved with the Peninsula Bruce Trail Club for coordinating the tree planting and for the Canadian Chestnut Council and Peninsula Out of Doors Nursery for co-sponsoring these events. It is heart-warming to see how corporate and not-for-profit bodies along with enthusiastic individuals can work together for a greater good.
If you wish to donate to our One Percent for the Future project to make your travels more sustainable, please click here.
