Planting Trees in Ontario

Province-wide Planting

The 50 Million Tree Program (50MTP) plants and tracks millions of trees from seed to survival each year in Ontario on more than 500 sites annually and in collaboration with 57 planting partners. The 50MTP is a part of the United Nations Billion Tree Campaign—the goal of which is to plant seven billion trees worldwide.

Increasing forest cover is critical to ensuring healthy forests for our future, as well as their associated values. Trees and forests sequester harmful emissions, reduce flooding, and provide a cooling effect for our cities and towns. Trees are climate warriors, absorbing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, storing it as carbon, and releasing oxygen for us to breathe. Trees clean the water we drink and when planted along waterways and areas with poor soil conditions, trees can reduce soil erosion and protect water quality. Tree planting connects fragmented forests which will support wildlife habitat and maintain local plant and animal biodiversity. Tree planting is used to secure the health of our existing forests, establish new forests, connect forests, and improve the overall resilience of our landscapes.