New West residents can help grow the city’s tree canopy – and get a bargain at the same time.
The City of New Westminster is once again holding a tree sale and offering residents a chance to buy up to two trees at $10 each. Residents can pre-purchase trees online and pick them up on Saturday, March 20 from 9 to 11 a.m. at Westburnco Park.
The tree sale is part of the city’s efforts to work with residents as part of its goal of having a 27% tree canopy in the city.
“Please consider purchasing a tree at a reduced cost for planting on your property to help meet our target of planting 11,800 trees by 2030 – 3,300 on private lands and 8,500 on public lands,” said Erika Mashig, the city’s manager of parks and open space planning, design and construction. “Every tree is part of the urban forest!”
This spring’s offerings include: Autumn blaze maple, Fuji (apple), Gala (apple), Ginko, Japanenes Stewartia, Persian Spire Parrotia, Pyramidal European Hornbeam, Satomi Dogwood, Serbian Spruce and Snowcone Snowbell.
“There are 10 different tree varieties available – 150 trees in total – pending your specific needs (fruit, flowering, evergreen) and planting location,” Mashig said. “We are expanding our varieties to provide suitable options for a range of conditions including large pots for balconies, patios and smaller yards.”
Last spring’s inaugural tree sale saw 151 trees being purchased for planting in New West. A similar number of trees sold at the Spooky Tree Sale on Oct. 31, 2020.
Mashig said the city expects to sell all 150 trees being made available for the upcoming sale.
The city’s urban forest management strategy includes efforts to grow New Westminster’s citywide urban forest canopy cover from 18% to 27%, which is the North American. The city has stated that the most effective way to achieve that 27% target by 2030, which would support the removal of 4,050 tonnes of carbon pollution annually and increase the city’s forest’s carbon storage capacity by 50%, is through city-community partnerships.
Details about the tree sale, the variety of trees available (and the more suitable ones for your property) and planting instructions can be found at www.newwestcity.ca/treesale.
Follow Theresa McManus on Twitter @TheresaMcManus
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