A Fight Worth Fighting
How do you feel about wearing a mask? An N95 respirator mask? You remember the one, but likely already have or would like to forget it, as health authorities highly recommended they be donned while indoors during the COVID pandemic.
Now, according to Scientific America magazine, cities as far away as 1,600 kilometres from the forest fires in Canada may have enough ozone created by the mixing of the smoke of said fires sunlight, and urban air pollution, that masks are recommended for people with respiratory issues while out of doors.
As I consider those dealing directly with the devastating impact of these fires and the upheaval and heart-breaking loss they are enduring, I’m struck by the significance of these events and reminded we are all in this together. In the cooler months, references like Alberta Clippers and “a cold Arctic air mass” are popular among U. S. meteorologists.
Now, during some of the finest weather of the year, the Canadian forest fires are causing poor air quality in cities south of the border and in this country too.
These record wildfires of 2023 may be a sign of more to come.
And the quality of our urban air may deteriorate.
But there is something that we can do to slow both the urban effects of forest fires and the effects of climate change on our health generally: plant more trees where we live, work, and play. That’s why I’m pleased to be leading and supporting Trees for Life as the great connector of groups including governments, industry, and the non-profit sector with private citizens’ dollars to help get more trees in the ground faster.
Here at Trees for Life, we call trees “breathing machines”. It’s a well-known fact that trees cool the atmosphere and produce an abundance of oxygen. They also filter airborne toxins and consume and store carbon. Science has proved this to be true. Is it any wonder that they are a miracle of nature?
And all we have to do to employ their services is to plant and nurture more of them.
I mention “nurture” as our efforts to support tree planting in the densely populated parts of Canada require watering, weed control, and pruning of each tree for at least 3 years after planting. The Trees for Life funding proposition supports groups that plant AND nurture trees, or they don’t receive support. About 20% of the cost of planting a tree is after-planting maintenance.
And speaking of funding, the proposition to our donors is that we match each dollar donated with two and often three more dollars. We do this through government grants and through our partnership agreements with cities, conservation authorities, and others who bring resources to the table that have value.
Some of our plantings are supported by the 2 Billion Trees Program from the Federal government.
In June, Ontario’s Environment Minister David Piccini, announced $195,000 in additional funding through the Species at Risk Program, for urban tree planting through Trees For Life over the next three years. You can read more about it in this newsletter.
Frankly, the good news keeps coming and I would love nothing more than to have you join us on this journey.
And what is the journey? The defense of our most precious resources, including clean water and the air that we breathe. We are not taking this journey alone, but collaborating with many other like-minded people and organizations to get the job done.
We think that Canada’s air is worth fighting for.
Science stands with us.
Will you?
I would love to hear from you at www.treesforlife.ca
Consider helping us help every Canadian to benefit from a healthier environment.
It is worth the fight.
Mark Cullen
Volunteer President, Canadian Trees For Life
www.treesforlife.ca