Rural landowners who want to learn more about planting and managing trees on their land can attend three upcoming workshops.
The workshops are geared to landowners in central and western Wellington County and northern Waterloo Region.
Each of the two-hour sessions will include a short presentation followed by tours of farms and demonstrations.
The goal of the workshops is to encourage more landowners to plant trees, particularly windbreaks and creek buffers, and to maintain them to maximize their value to agricultural operations. The workshops are sponsored by the GRCA, the Rural Water Quality Program, Trees for Mapleton, Trees for Woolwich and the Ontario Trillium Foundation
There is no cost. Snacks will be provided. Landowners who would like to attend are encouraged to contact Mark Funk, GRCA forestry specialist at 1-866-900-4722, Ext. 2259 or email mfunk@grandriver.ca.
Workshops will be held:
– July 30 – Windbreak thinning and maintenance from 7 to 9pm at Samis Farms, 7332 Sideroad 16, RR2 Alma;
– Aug. 21 – Tree care and pruning from 7 to 9pm at Floraview Farms, 1610 Floradale Road, RR1, Elmira; and
– Sept. 25 – Planning for trees on the farm from 7 to 9pm at R&R Poultry, 7649 Sideroad 6 East, Kenilworth.
Funk says the evening will be short and informative. Attendees will be given a brief presentation about how to use trees to improve their farms, followed by some demonstrations. Coffee and snacks will be included.
“I think these tours will be useful for people who have done little or no tree planting on their property and are wondering where to begin, as well as those who have maturing trees on their farms and would like to know how to best maintain and care for them,” says Funk.
Local farmers who have planted trees on their farms have volunteered to host the tours and forestry specialists from the conservation authority will be on hand to offer their expertise.
In Mapleton, where extensive tree planting has already occurred on farms, landowners may benefit particularly from the workshop on July 30 at Samis Farms about windbreak thinning and maintenance to keep these trees functioning the way they are meant to, Funk suggests.
