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“This is a great opportunity for government and community organizations to work together to increase forested areas and protect waterways,” said Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Minister Robert Vessey. “Planting these trees is a simple but effective way to help prevent run off from entering a nearby river.”

Volunteers from all three organizations worked together recently to begin to plant approximately 200 trees and shrubs on a five-acre parcel of land in Bonshaw, east of McManus Road and adjacent to the Trans-Canada Highway. The trees will help slow and reduce water run-off that heads down the field, into a ravine along the old Crosby Road, towards the West River.

The project will begin to establish an upland Acadian forest mix of trees with a focus on deeply rooted species. The trees include red oak, sugar maple, yellow birch and white ash. Shrubs planted include common elderberry, staghorn sumac, chokeberry, wild rose and bay berry.

“Forest cover helps to slow water from steep terrain like that found in this area of the Bonshaw hills,” said Megan Harris, coordinator of the Central Queens Wildlife Federation. “Planting this mix of Acadian forest species will over time lessen the impact of storm-water travelling down towards the river.”

Enactus (Entrepreneurial Action Us) UPEI members implement social entrepreneurial projects that help make their community a better place socially, economically, and environmentally. In March, the UPEI group placed second in the Scotiabank EcoLiving Challenge for its “Treeternity” project, which focuses on education and the development of tree planting.

“As students we’re pleased to partner with other organizations to create positive change in our province,” said Enactus UPEI Vice-President Projects and External Ronnie McPhee. “Enactus is committed to using the skills we acquire through our education to make a meaningful impact on our communities.”

The tree-planting project complements a series of environmental controls constructed earlier this fall by the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal and the Central Queens Wildlife Federation along the old Crosby Road. Nine natural check dams, using logs and brush, were constructed across the old road to stem the flow and trap sediment running down the road towards the river.