National charity seeks support for "#OperationReLeaf" to help BC communities hit by 2017's forest fires

OTTAWA, March 15, 2018 /CNW/ - Tree Canada, Canada's leading national tree planting charity, today announced it is launching an ambitious greening initiative in British Columbia to help restore community greenspaces lost due to the devastating 2017 forest fires.

For British Columbia, 2017 was by far the worst fire season in recorded history. More than 1,300 fires were reported, devastating more than 3 million acres (1.2 million ha) in the province and displacing more than 30,000 residents. Tree Canada's #OperationReLeaf BC Fires initiative will work with the Government of British Columbia to help homeowners, private landowners, municipalities and Indigenous communities replace trees lost in the 2017 wildfires.

Tree Canada's long-time partner CN is generously pledging $100,000 to kickstart the #OperationReLeaf BC Fires initiative with the hopes that this contribution will help encourage other industry leaders to follow. Tree Canada is seeking support to help restore as many community greenspaces as possible. Individuals and members of the business community wishing to help are encouraged to visit treecanada.ca/OperationReLeaf to donate.

Quotes:
"We appreciate the cooperation of the Government of British Columbia and are thankful to our partner CN for showing strong environmental leadership in helping us restore greenspace in BC. Throughout this process, Tree Canada will be working to help BC communities get back on their feet."
– Michael Rosen, President of Tree Canada

"I am thrilled that CN and Tree Canada are contributing to rehabilitate the habitat in and surrounding the lovely communities that CN runs through," said François Boucher, CN General Manager for British Columbia. "We encourage other Canadian businesses to join CN in support of British Columbia's urban reforestation."
- François Boucher, General Manager B.C., CN

"We appreciate CN and Tree Canada providing funding and expertise to assist with B.C.'s wildfire recovery efforts. This is an excellent example of how national charities and private businesses can work together to make a difference. Supporting communities affected by last year's wildfires continues to be one of our government's top priorities."
– Doug Donaldson, B.C. Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development

About Tree Canada:
Tree Canada is a non-profit charity dedicated to improving the lives of Canadians by planting and nurturing trees. Since 1992, we've planted more than 80 million trees, greened more than 600 schoolyards, helped restore places hit by natural disasters and brought together urban forestry experts greening cities all across Canada. Get involved or learn more about us at treecanada.ca.

About #OperationReLeaf:
Tree Canada's #OperationReLeaf programs have been helping communities recover from natural disasters and pests for more than 20 years. The first #OperationReLeaf was launched following the 1996 floods in Saguenay, Quebec. Tree Canada's other currently active #OperationReLeafs are focused on fighting Mountain Pine Beetle in Alberta, Emerald Ash Borer in Quebec and our ongoing multi-year effort to restore community greenspaces in Fort McMurray following the devastation in 2016. In 2017, Tree Canada's #OperationReLeaf Fort McMurray raised enough money to plant more than 70,000 trees, restoring greenspaces in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, Alberta.

More information:

• Tree Canada's #OperationReLeaf program
• More about Tree Canada

SOURCE TreeCanada

Paul Jorgenson, Manager of Communications and Marketing, Tree Canada, [email protected], 819-208-8230 (cellular)