This spring, Kawartha Land Trust (KLT) staff, volunteers from the Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha, and members of KLT’s Partners in Conservation program got their hands dirty and planted more than 3,000 trees on KLT’s Ballyduff Trails and Partners in Conservation members’ lands.
These outings are just a few of the tree planting and ecological restoration projects that KLT has planned across the region for 2025 to restore healthy forest cover, enhance biodiversity, and build climate resilience.
These restoration initiatives are part of a multi-year project supported by a generous $141,000 investment from the Greenbelt Foundation. The funding enables KLT to restore 75 acres of forest across the Oak Ridges Moraine and expand KLT’s tallgrass prairie at Ballyduff Trails by 10 acres.
During the five fieldwork days, 50 volunteers dedicated an astonishing 300 hours of time planting 17 different species of native trees including Sugar Maple, American Elderberry, Red Maple, White Oak, and Black Walnut on the land.
“We are grateful to the landowners who participate in these restoration programs,” said Amanda Newell, KLT’s Partners in Conservation Coordinator. “They are providing nature with the chance to regenerate, which benefits us all. They are also amazing hosts who know how to thank volunteers with delicious food and good conversation!”
These efforts are not just about planting trees — they’re also about planting hope and long-term ecological change.
“A diverse ecosystem is a more resilient ecosystem,” said Newell. “Through planting a variety of site-appropriate native trees and shrubs across conserved lands and private lands, we are supporting connected landscapes that foster strong ecosystems – ecosystems our communities depend upon for health and wellbeing.”
We offer our thanks to the dedicated volunteers and PIC members who came together with a shared purpose: to help restore and reconnect fragmented habitats and lay the groundwork for stronger ecosystems in the future.
With more planting events and restoration projects planned for 2025, the momentum continues. Together with the Greenbelt Foundation, private landowners, KLT protected properties, volunteers, and community members, and supporters like you, we are helping to protect and care for the landscapes that make the Kawarthas so special.
To learn more about the Greenbelt Foundation, visit their website at www.greenbelt.ca.
Main photo: Members of the Rotary Club of Peterborough Kawartha and Elliott Groen during a day of tree planting at KLT’s Ballyduff Trails in the spring of 2025.
