The operation got underway on September 19 with the digging of the plantation pits and extended to September 21 with a volunteer planting activity. More than 135 trees were planted on the south bank of the Olympic Basin. Some 300 shrubs will round out the operation, and this will be done as part of another volunteer activity later this fall.
Developing a biomass and lessening the impact of urban heat islands
The species for the tree plantings were selected for their resistance to the harsh conditions of the site, in an effort to ensure the long-term development of a biomass, thereby helping to increase tree-canopy covering and lessen the effect of heat islands. This initial planting on the south bank will be followed by other similar-type plantings and will ultimately lead to a complete vegetation covering of this part of the Parc.
The project is being done in conjunction with the urban forest action plan, which has an objective of raising Montreal’s canopy index by 5% by 2025. This would result in about 25% of the area having tree covering. In tandem, the plan, which is jointly managed by Soverdi and the City of the Montreal, has set a goal of planting 300,000 trees on the island of Montreal between 2012 and 2025.
The Societe du parc Jean-Drapeau is helping in meeting this objective by pledging to increase its canopy index from 30 to 35% through a triennial program of planting 1,000 trees, 650 of which have already been planted.
Veronique Parent Lacharite, the projects manager at Soverdi and Tree Canada’s representative in Montreal, says the project is the culmination of a collaboration by various players and interested parties who share a common goal of doing something tangible for the environment. Soverdi is providing its expertise in the greening of the environment, Parc Jean-Drapeau is making its land available, Tree Canada is getting volunteers from the Victoria Park Health Club involved and the City of Montreal and Tree Canada is helping with the funding. This type of partnership, which is truly special, is one of the strengths of the Urban Forest Alliance, and it is a catalyst in being able to achieve major projects.
Just steps from home, Parc Jean Drapeau offers a wide array of recreation-tourist attractions that make it a unique place in Canada. Easily accessible by subway, use of public transportation to get to the Parc is highly recommended to enhance your overall experience at the Parc
For further information about the events and activities at Parc Jean-Drapeau, please go to parcjeandrapeau.com or follow us on social media @parcjeandrapeau.
About Soverdi
The Societe de verdissement du Montreal metropolitain (Soverdi) is a not-for-profit organization which, for the last 25 years, has implemented green environment strategies in the urban community to improve people’s health and standard of living. In partnership with the City of Montreal, the organization is taking up the ambitious challenge set out by the urban forest action plan, which aims to plant 300,000 trees on the island of Montreal by 2025. Soverdi is coordinating efforts, in collaboration with its Urban Forest Alliance partners, to plant 180,000 of this tree total on private and institutional land. www.soverdi.org
About Tree Canada
Tree Canada is a charitable, not-for-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of Canadians through the planting and maintaining of trees. Through its programs, research and awareness-creating efforts, it has helped to restore forest cover in places hit by natural disasters, brought together urban forestry experts and other participants in managing urban forests, greened more than 660 schoolyards and organized annual conferences on the urban forest.
