THE City of Surrey celebrated Arbor Day with a community tree planting event sponsored in part by a $25,000 grant from the CN EcoConnexions – From the Ground Up initiative. 

Residents planted 46 large shade trees and hundreds of native trees and shrubs at Hawthorne Rotary Park in Whalley. This event is part of a month-long series of community tree planting events taking place across the City as part of Surrey’s Releaf initiative.   

“Vital to our community, trees provide important ecological services including pollution reduction, stormwater retention and climate cooling for the city,” said Surrey Mayor Doug McCallum on Monday. “We are very grateful for funding support from the CN EcoConnexions – From the Ground Up initiative, and for the community volunteers who helped plant trees which will strengthen our urban forest.”   

Surrey’s Releaf tree planting program is delivered by Surrey Parks to support the health of Surrey’s urban forest and to promote the many benefits of trees. Releaf public plantings will be taking place every Saturday in parks throughout Surrey until October 30. Register to take part in a planting by visiting surrey.ca/releaf.  

“Tree Canada, Canada’s only national tree-planting non-profit, is excited to continue our partnership with CN to bring CN EcoConnexions From the Ground Up to deserving communities across Canada,” said Danielle St-Aubin, CEO, Tree Canada. “With this program, CN is creating a lasting legacy of sustainability for present and future generations, providing funding and much-needed awareness to the value of trees and green spaces to our health and well-being, as well as the environment.”