PROVINCE LAUNCHES TREES FOR TOMORROW

PENTICTON – Community organizations, First Nations and local governments are invited to apply to the Trees for Tomorrow program, a cost-sharing venture to plant millions of trees in the public areas of cities, towns, villages and regional districts throughout B.C. over the coming five years, Community Development Minister Blair Lekstrom announced.

“Planting trees in urban areas will help lock away greenhouse gases that would otherwise contribute to climate change,” said Lekstrom. “This is a great opportunity for communities to come together to improve air quality and beautify their communities. With more than 130 B.C. communities already signed on to the Climate Action Charter, Trees for Tomorrow is another way they can reduce their impact on our environment.”

The five-year, $13 million program is aimed at planting four million trees in schoolyards, hospital grounds, civic parks and other public spaces in British Columbia. The initiative, first announced in the 2008 speech from the throne, will be implemented through a public-private partnership model, involving cost-sharing with a range of applicants and stewardship organizations. Discussions are underway with Evergreen, a not-for-profit organization, to provide technical assistance to all participating communities. The Youth Climate Leadership Alliance will be particularly instrumental in facilitating the initiative, by undertaking field research, and mitigation work related to climate action.

“Trees are indeed a critical part of our future – and Evergreen has been planting trees together with thousands of community groups, municipalities, students and homeowners across B.C. for almost two decades,” said Geoff Cape, executive director of Evergreen. “We look forward to connecting with local governments and other stakeholders in British Columbia as we collaborate to add to the urban forests across the province. The successful planting of a tree, and the educational and community-building opportunities this offers make this provincial strategy a smart one that will benefit B.C. generations to come.”

The initiative includes several program streams:

· The CommuniTree Program is an application-based program for matching funding by local governments, First Nations and community organizations to see trees planted in community and regional parks, hospital grounds, boulevards and parking lots, as well as on school grounds and post secondary campuses.

· The Urban Mountain Pine Beetle Affected Area Renewal Program will see seedlings provided for urban areas affected by the pine beetle epidemic.

· This first call for applications includes local governments applying to create BC150 Groves to raise awareness about the importance of achieving climate change milestones in participating communities.

“UBCM is very pleased to see this new provincial initiative,” said UBCM president Susan Gimse. “The program responds to the needs of urban communities affected by mountain pine beetle infestation, builds co-operative relationships and advances our shared climate action agenda.”

Twenty-five workshops will be held around the province over the coming months to raise awareness and to provide information on urban afforestation in cities, towns, villages and regional districts in British Columbia. Lekstrom launched the program at the Union of BC Municipalities conference in Penticton during National Forest Week.

To learn more about Trees for Tomorrow, go to: www.treesfortomorrow.gov.bc.ca

-30-


Media contact:	Marc Black Ministry of Community Development 250 387-4089

For more information on government services or to subscribe to the Province’s news feeds using RSS, visit the Province’s website at www.gov.bc.ca.