Earth Day 2019 Planting Event

Written by Gina Pannunzio and Ian Naisbitt for The Egret – Issue 35 – Number 2

“When we plant a tree, we are doing what we can to make our planet a more wholesome and happier dwelling-place for those who come after us.” — Holmes

On Sunday, April 28, the Windsor-Essex community celebrated Earth Day 2019 by planting 2,200 trees and shrubs. We planted in Little River Corridor Park: along the Ganatchio Trail and around the pond, west of the Florence Avenue and Beverly Glenn Street junction in East Riverside.

Over 1,400 community volunteers participated in this event and many were first time planters. Volunteers worked from 10 a.m. to noon. There were 60 volunteer groups that registered to help plant. Event organizers appreciated the efforts of the 40 How 2 Crew volunteers who were an incredible force for planting trees.

Saturday’s foreboding forecast: “Cloudy. Periods of rain beginning this evening then changing to periods of snow or rain after midnight. Local snowfall amount: 2 cm. Wind becoming northeast 20 km/h near midnight. Low plus 2.”

Yowzah, snowfall?

Sunday morning’s forecast: “Periods of rain ending early this morning then clearing. Wind northeast 20 km/h, which is moderate according the Beaufort Wind Force Scale. High 11 Celsius. UV index 6 or high.”

After the foreboding forecast, what an enjoyable surprise it was to see the sun emerge from the overcast sky.

The species of trees we planted included: white oak, American elm, pin oak, red maple, burr oak, sycamore, basswood, swamp white oak, silver maple, Shumard oak, tulip tree and eastern cottonwood.

Little River Corridor Park, between Riverside Drive and Tecumseh Road, has now benefitted from the planting of 20,681 trees and shrubs since May 1990. The recreational trails throughout the area will permit people to make the desired connection with nature. They may even be lucky enough to experience the different species of wildlife that call this area home. Wildlife observed in the area on the day of the tree planting included: Canada goose, mute swan, red-winged blackbird, turkey vulture, American robin, killdeer and mallard duck.

Planning for the event was done by the Essex Region Conservation Authority, Detroit River Canadian Cleanup (DRCC) and City of Windsor. The DRCC paid for the trees with funds from the Ontario Ministry of Environment and Climate Change.

“Never say there is nothing beautiful in the world anymore. There is always something to make you wonder in the shape of a tree, the trembling of a leaf.” — Albert Schweitzer