The Healing Place and Forests Ontario's Reconciliation Community Tree Plant program extended with support from TD Bank Group
BARRIE, ON, Sept. 30, 2022 /CNW/ - Forests Ontario is expanding its Reconciliation Community Tree Plant program thanks to a generous contribution of $450,000 over three years from TD Bank Group. In collaboration with Indigenous and non-Indigenous communities and organizations across the province, the Reconciliation Community Tree Plant program is rooted in the belief that meaningful engagement and shared experiences are crucial steps forward in the journey towards Truth and Reconciliation.
The Reconciliation Community Tree Plant program builds upon the success of the first Healing Place that was opened in 2020 on the traditional territories of the Algonquin and Mohawk Nations in eastern Ontario. A permanent community space inspired by reflection and recovery among nature, The Healing Place was designed to reflect and represent practices recognized by both Western science and Indigenous knowledge systems.
"When we put trees in the ground, we create more than just a physical forest that we see. We create an environment in which the mental, physical, emotional, and spiritual are all cultivated – they are all honoured, they are all part of that experience," Larry McDermott, Algonquin from Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nation and Executive Director of Plenty Canada, says.
Plenty Canada and Forests Ontario are part of The Healing Place Working Group that is tasked with creating new locations that meet the needs of local communities.
"The continued support by TD ensures these important, inclusive, and accessible spaces of reflection and healing can thrive," Rob Keen, Chief Executive Officer of Forests Ontario, and Registered Professional Forester, says. "Healing Places pay homage to the historical, medicinal, and traditional uses of tree, shrubs, and other plant species while highlighting the integral role our natural environment plays in our daily lives."
To find out more about Forests Ontario's Reconciliation Community Tree Plant program, please visit www.forestsontario.ca
The inaugural partners of The Healing Place, now called The Healing Place Working Group, include: Plenty Canada, Algonquins of Pikwakanagan, Assembly of First Nations, Mohawks of Akwesasne, Ontario Power Generation, Shabot Obaadjiwan First Nation, South Nation Conservation, and Forests Ontario.
Forests Ontario is the province's leading charity dedicated to the creation, preservation, and maintenance of forest and grassland habitats. Our ambitious, large-scale tree planting initiatives, extensive educational programs, and decades of community outreach result in millions of trees being planted each year.
Together with our national division, Forest Recovery Canada, we work with our many partners across the country to plant native trees and ensure our efforts today thrive and grow into tomorrow's diverse, healthy, and resilient forests.
Forests Ontario is the voice for our forests.
Visit www.forestsontario.ca or follow us @Forests_Ontario to find out more.
SOURCE Forests Ontario
For more information or to arrange an interview, please contact: Matthew Brown, Communications Manager, Forests Ontario / Forest Recovery Canada, Cell: 519-471-4751, [email protected]
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