When you want changes in your community, you are the best person to make them happen.NeighbourWoodNorth, a community group founded only the five months ago and now affiliated with Owen Sound Field Naturalists, has set itself a mission to "organize naturalization and tree-planting projects with volunteers in the Owen Sound area to create environmental benefits, enhance the attractiveness of the community, and contribute to local quality of life."
Their first project began this past weekend - (PaTH) Plants and Trees for our Hospital with the first planting of 60 white spruce trees to act as a wind barrier near the hospital emergency entrance. The ten year plan is divided into three stages:
The Naturalization Stage - (years one through four) is the base for the whole project. This step involves the naturalization of the hospital grounds using trees, shrubs, grasses, and perennials.
The Connections Stage -(years five through seven) involves creating a healing pathway around our hospital grounds. We will be adding community art, interpretive signs, and natural seating areas to create vibrancy.
The Community Stage - (years eight through ten) involves thinking big. This step includes the creation of one or more structures for gatherings and to recognize our hospital's history, and an enabling garden connecting the hospital and the hospice.
Three more plantings over next three weekends will be supported by local and national businesses and the Grey Sauble Conservation Authority working with 50 Million Trees program of Trees Ontario.
May 5 & 12 by volunteers:
2,175 mixed seedlings – Norway Spruce, red oak, sugar maple, black walnut, black cherry and staghom sumac AND 35 saplings (5') – sugar maple and red oak AND 25 more 5' sugar maples to line the walking path
May 19 by hospital staff volunteers:
Flowering crab-apple trees along laneway from 16th Avenue
Additionally, the Conservation Authority will machine plant a mix of 900 white pine, 150 sugar maple, and 75 red oak in the area.
Website: www.neighbourwoodsnorth.com (live May 7, 2018)
Contact Lloyd Lewis, President, at i[email protected]
