I’m Planting In The Rain, Just Planting In The Rain
Maybe it doesn’t have quite the same ring as ‘I’m singing in the rain’, but I couldn’t help changing the lyrics as I sang this to myself this past Saturday while digging in the mud and planting trees (mainly shrubs, actually).
I can’t remember the last time I participated in a tree planting, so volunteering to help Trout Unlimited Canada plant trees and shrubs along Bronte Creek in Lowville Park, Burlington, seemed like a great idea. While driving to the park in the pouring rain on Saturday morning, I began to re-think the ‘great idea’ part of it. Fortunately for me, I had my waders and my awesome Carhartt rain jacket on hand to keep me as dry as possible.
From the enthusiastic welcome from Trout Unlimited’s Mary Finch, to the hard work of all the volunteers, to the gratifying feeling of getting my hands dirty and helping the environment, it was a wonderful experience.
Due to the rain, the goal to start the morning was to get 400 shrubs planted. In the end, we managed to get 1,000 shrubs planted! We planted native species such as willows, dogwoods, and raspberries, and I learned how to choose the right area for each given species based on its preferences. These trees and shrubs will help naturalize the area and reduce erosion.
I was so impressed with the dedication of everyone there. Not one volunteer complained about the weather, despite the fact that several of them were soaked to the bone and most of us were covered in mud. It kind of became a badge of pride – the weather sucked but it didn’t get us down.
I wish I had gotten pictures of the areas we planted, but I do not have a waterproof camera and I was not subjecting the iPhone to the weather! You can see pictures from the event on Trout Unlimited Canada’s Bronte Creek Watershed Renewal blog.
We were a wet crew by the end! (Photo from brontecreekrenewal.blogspot.com).
If you would like to get involved, Trout Unlimited Canada has some more events coming up:
Bronte Creek Clean-up – Saturday, November 3rd, 2012. Petro Canada Park, 356 Bronte Rd., Oakville, 10am – 12pm
Lowville Tree Planting – Saturday, November 17th, 2012. Lowville Park, 6207 Guelph Line, Burlington, 10am – 1pm.
To register, please contact Stacey at 519-824-4120 x 56588 or Ontario@tucanada.org.
argosgirl
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Congrats on a job well done! Planting trees along streambanks is a good way to make a positive impact on our watersheds. My TU chapter plants about a thousand willow slips along the headwaters each April and I think we’re helping stabilize the banks, eventually to shade the waters and provide nutrients for the stream life. Great to see what you’re doing!
Thank you! It’s rewarding to look at all the trees and shrubs and realize the impact they are going to have in the future. This particular river is in great need of bank stabilization and shade for the water. Trout Unlimited has done a lot of projects on this stretch of river and you can see how much they have helped already.