The head of an organization looking to create new forests in southern Ontario says he's been impressed by the outpouring of support they have received since their funding was cut last month.
Rob Keen, the CEO of Forests Ontario, who leads the 50 Million Tree Program, is in Sudbury to give a talk at the Federation of Northern Ontario Municipalities on Thursday afternoon.
“We're receiving an awful lot of support for the continuation of the program,” Keen said. “It's quite amazing actually the upwelling of folks from right across the province that say the program should continue.”
Premier Doug Ford's government cut the $4.7 million the program receives in last month's budget. So far, the group has planted 27 million trees in the south.
“It's the creation of new forests, not the replacement of current forests,” he said.
The goal is to improve the ratio of developed land/green areas to 40 per cent, up from the current 26 per cent. While millions of trees are planted every year in the North, he said they are replacements for trees harvested by lumber companies.
“It is a different type of planting (that we do) and it's usually targeted old abandoned agricultural fields that haven't had trees on them for some time,” Keen said.
While they receive some corporate support, and there have been offers to help, he said it's something the government should be supporting.
“We've had some excellent corporate sponsors in the past, but in my opinion, and certainly others, is that because this is a public good — the forests of southern Ontario certain provide all sorts of ecological services and employment to Ontarians – the government should provide some level of support for the program.
“I certainly recognize that the government currently is working at addressing the deficit, and I can appreciate that absolutely, but you know, to just completely cut this program I think is a little extreme. Certainly, reducing the support for would be understandable, and that would allow us to look for more corporate support.
But there does need to be some government support there just to keep it keep the program going.”
While they have tried to talk with the province about the issue, Keen said they haven't yet been successful.
“Not yet, but we certainly would love to have that discussion.”
While they have working relationships with local conservation authorities, getting municipal money for the program will be difficult, he said, because they are facing provincial cutbacks, too.
“So it seems a number of things have happened that will really impact how well we can move forward with any kind of tree program in southern Ontario.”
While the province has agreed to fund tree planting this season, the future of the program is up in the air after 2019. Keen said supporters can write letters to the government and contact their MPPs. But regardless, they will look for ways to keep going.
“We're a not-for-profit charity and certainly one of the one of the things that we will continue to do is look for revenue and resources to continue tree planting at some level,” Keen said.
