A recently planted field with small tree seedlings, a white pine in the foreground.

Quinte Conservation commits itself to sustainable forest management practices. We aim to support and encourage healthy forest-management practices of our existing forests as well as supporting tree-planting initiatives across our watersheds. Trees provide a wealth of environmental, health and social benefits. Trees clean our air, absorb carbon, and slow climate change they provide food and shelter for wildlife and slow erosion while contributing to cleaner water, greener communities, and healthier people.

Subsidized Tree Seedling & Planting Program

Looking to plant or have property planted with native trees? You may be eligible for a subsidized program. Planting projects need to meet a minimum of 500 trees.

Contact Quinte Conservation Outreach and Stewardship Coordinator to learn more about programs available to you. 

Why Plant Trees? 
  • Trees absorb carbon dioxide, then transform it into oxygen. Carbon dioxide is a greenhouse gas contributing to global warming and climate change. Consider supporting the planting of trees to offset your carbon emissions.
  • Trees transpire, releasing water through their leaves. This process of transpiration cools the air, acting much like an air conditioner. Walk into a dense forest on a hot summer day and notice the temperature change.
  • Plant trees on the south side of your building. This can shade windows in the summer and lower air-conditioning costs by 20-50%! In the winter months, when those trees lose their leaves, the sun will shine through the bare branches. This warms your house, reducing your heating costs.
  • Trees planted as windbreaks on residential properties reduce home heating costs by 10-15%.
  • Trees can shade asphalt making our urban environments cooler and more comfortable during hot summer months.
  • Trees intercept rainfall, slow runoff, and absorb water. Forests act like sponges on the landscape. They slow and absorb water and then release it in times of drought. In doing so, our groundwater will recharge.
  • Trees reduce runoff into our streams and lakes. This slows the impacts of flooding while filtering and cleaning the water.

Choose Native Species

When selecting trees for your site, consider trees native to Ontario.

Native trees are suited to our climate and weather conditions. Our wildlife also rely on them for food and shelter. Planting native trees helps to bring nature back into our developed landscapes.

Select the native species that suit your site's soil, moisture, and light conditions. If you select the right species for your conditions, the tree will require little to no care in order to establish and grow into a beautiful mature tree.

Considerations When Planting
  • Plant 10-20 feet away from buildings (distance away from buildings depend on how large/tall your tree will grow)
  • Be sure to plant away from hydro wires and set back from fire hydrants, street lights, and sidewalks
  • It is best to plant trees in the spring or fall to correspond with rains and cooler weather
  • Your trees may need some care during times of drought
  • Place a mulch around the base of the tree to help retain moisture during hot summer days

It's best to plant a diversity of species

Additional Resources

Landowner's Guide to Forest Management Basics 

Learn about the Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program

Agricultural Buffer Plantings - APPLY TODAY

Quinte Conservation offers a full-service tree and shrub planting program within 30 metres of water systems.

Email our Outreach & Stewardship Coordinator.

two tree planters, one carrying a hip sack of bare root shrub seedlings is planting, the other is dragging a large black sled filled with coco fibre mats.

Community Trees

Community Trees planting events and tree seedling giveaways with local municipalities were a great success in 2020.

Over 18,000 trees were planted by residents, of all ages, across the region to help increase forest cover. 

Watch for community trees events in your community in 2021.

A pair of bare hands plant a small pine seedlings in bare ground.