Trees for Woolwich is hosting a free workshop for farmers and rural landowners to learn about windbreaks, managing ash trees and invasive plants.
Managing Trees on the Farm is taking place on Wednesday, August 22 at Dennis and Helen Martin’s farm near Winterbourne, from 5:30 p.m. until 9:30 p.m.
Registration is now open and is required.
It begins with a pulled pork dinner, followed by a walking tour of the farm.
There will be a tour of the Martins’ 20-year-old spruce windbreak and a talk about the benefits of windbreaks and to plan and maintain them.
There will be advice on how to identify and manage ash trees which are dying as a result of the invasive emerald ash borer insect.
Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA) staff will share tips on how to identify and manage three invasive plants — buckthorn, garlic mustard and phragmites.
Following the tour, there will be presentations about Trees for Woolwich, the GRCA’s tree planting program and funding opportunities that are available through Waterloo Region’s Rural Water Quality Program (RWQP).
Landowners who own more than five acres (two hectares) may be eligible for funding for environmental projects. Successful funding applicants will receive 50 to 100 per cent of the cost of the projects they implement, depending on the type of project. A GRCA forestry specialist can visit the property to help create a custom tree planting plan.
Trees for Woolwich’s is a volunteer group that works to increase tree cover in the Township of Woolwich by partnering with the local community and landowners to plant trees on private and publicly owned land.
Trees for Woolwich has been working with landowners in the township to plant trees since 2011.
For more information and to register, contact GRCA Forestry Specialist Meghan Clay at 1-866-900-4722 ext. 2259 or ruralwater@grandriver.ca. Preregistration is required.
