York Region has been recognized for its continued leadership in environmental stewardship and education.
Forests Ontario presented the Region with the 2022 Susan Wiecek Forestry Education Award, which is given to individuals or organizations for outstanding contributions to forest education in Ontario.
The not-for-profit organization is dedicated to making Ontario’s forests greener and focuses on tree planting, forest stewardship, forest education and awareness. It was created in 2014 through a merger between Trees Ontario and the Ontario Forestry Association.
Among other things, York Region’s Greening Strategy provides a framework for initiatives to restore habitat, increase forest cover, secure greenlands and their linkages, and promote and protect the natural environment. Together with its partners, it has planted nearly one million trees and shrubs and secured more than 1,000 hectares of environmental lands since 2001, among other achievements.
It has partnered with Forests Ontario to help deliver several environmental stewardship and education programs, including the school based Envirothon and Tree Bee competitions, and a Virtual Hike in 2021 for National Forest Week.
Photo: #GetMoving Photo Contest entry.
