Cookshire-eaton participates in tree planting program
The Cookshire-eaton public works crew, as well as several volunteers from the town, teamed up with Arbre-évolution, a solidarity cooperative that aims to connect communities with the environment, to plant 370 trees, as part of the Social Reforestation Program.
This is the first time the program has been implemented in the town, according to a press release. Arbreévolution started the program seven years ago with the goal of planting trees in living environments and communities across Quebec.
“The trees planted will meet several needs, such as the creation of islands of freshness, the beautification of living environments and wind reduction, among others,” said Arbre-évolution project manager Vincent Hamann-benoit.
The term ‘islands of freshness’, refers to green spaces that moderate a city’s heat island effect. Cookshireeaton was selected as a candidate early last winter. The town saw an opportunity to address its greening needs and it was a chance for people to take action.
The press release notes that the town did not have to fund the entire project on its own. Arbre-évolution was able to put in $3,700, thanks to a contribution from the Charles River Laboratories in Sherbrooke, which provides a full spectrum of toxicology services.
“For us, in addition to injecting significant amounts of money into the project, Arbre Évolution makes a difference in terms of expertise and capacity to take charge,” said Cookshire-eaton Mayor Sylvie Lapointe.
Charles River plans to finance a second tree planting project next spring, but this time in La Guadeloupe, a small town just outside Thetford Mines. According to Hélène Simard, an immunology supervisor, the company wanted to “give back to the planet.”
A total of 19 different tree species were planted in Cookshire-eaton last week, sprinkled throughout Castonguay Park, Parc des Braves, a sector of the Relais and the John Cook Covered Bridge. The coop keeps track of the planted trees using a QR code.
Arbre-évolution general coordinator Simon Côté told The Record that the coop receives a lot of support from Quebec-based companies seeking to make a difference in the environment. They want to participate, he explained, adding that they often reach out to the coop unsolicited.
“They are doing it because they want to do good, they want to help, they want to make a difference, and they want to act good towards society, but also towards their own employees, and show they are an organization of the 21st century,” said Côté.
He added that people around the world are starting to take action against climate change. People want to help, Côté continued, but sometimes communities are lacking necessary funds. And it can also be difficult motivating residents to come out and volunteer their time.
“It seems pretty basic, but there are few opportunities where we can get people together doing an action, a concrete action, that will benefit generations that are not even born yet,” he said.
According to Côté, since Arbre-évolution began its Social Reforestation Program, they have helped to plant trees in about 200 communities. In the past two years, the coop has averaged roughly 50 projects per year, he said, meaning there is a desire for collective action.
The coop is also propped up by small businesses in the province. They will partner up to get material, funds, and volunteers, which includes employees. And twice a year they send out a program request form to all communities who want to participate.
People are becoming more environmentally conscious, Côté added, and communities need to capitalize on that momentum. The coop believes that even taking the smallest step, like planting a tree, will go a long way to tackling the climate change crisis.
“It benefits all of the citizens of the world,” said Côté. “It’s going to cap CO2 emissions and that’s going to improve the planet entirely.”