Forests Canada

Extreme weather can devastate forests. While natural regeneration will undoubtedly occur in many instances, restoring Ontario’s natural landscapes will often need a helping hand. On June 21, 2025, Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park was hit by a devastating storm. Winds of over 100 km/h damaged and downed thousands of trees, left campers trapped and uprooted the local ecosystem like never before. Emergency response workers cleared the roadway and evacuated stranded campers to safety. Over the coming days and months, the provincial landmark had to undergo a series of operations to remove debris and repair the damaged infrastructure. Forest restoration is a complex, multi-stage process powered by skilled workers. From the clearing, logging and future use assessment of downed trees to the planting of new native trees, our video showcases the expertise required at each stage of forest restoration through the eyes of the forest sector workers who played an integral role in the park’s road to recovery. Watch our video: youtu.be/jYvqIO_5AeU?si… @OntarioParks @@AFA_Algonquin

Forests Canada participated in an interview contributing to the journal article "Engaging the next generation of forest stewards: a place-based framework for advancing forest education in Canadian high schools". This journal article focuses on advancing forest education in high schools across Canada with a timely framework for empowering youth through hands-on, community-rooted learning. Read more:  academic.oup.com/forestry/artic…

We love seeing all these new trees spreading their roots! 🌱 Our planting partner, Raisin Region Conservation Authority, planted 3,600 seedlings at the Cornwall Waste Water Treatment Plant in Cornwall. The goal of this project is to plant windbreaks and block plantings for ecological restoration, providing habitat and reducing environmental stress. A variety of native trees were planted, including Eastern White Pine, White Spruce, Eastern White Cedar, and Silver Maple. To learn more about our planting program, visit our website: ForestsCanada.ca/PlantTrees

The Managed Forest Tax Incentive Program (#MFTIP), administered by @Onresources, offers a property tax reduction on well-managed forest land in Ontario. Check out this incentive to support the stewardship of your forest! 🌳 Learn More: forestscanada.ca/en/program/man…

We love tree-planting season! 🌱 Our planting partner, Carbon Sink, a division of @silveconltd  had a tree-rific time planting 4,220 seedlings in the ground on a property in East Gwillimbury. This project's goal is to plant a variety of species to establish a forest on land that has not recently been covered by a forest. These afforestation projects are increasingly being used for carbon sequestration, to reduce soil erosion, and create new habitats. To learn more about our planting project types, visit our website: ForestsCanada.ca/PlantTrees

Happy Mother's Day from Forests Canada! 💚 Whether you’re spending today with your mom or mother figure, celebrating motherhood yourself, or simply holding your mom’s memory close at heart, we hope this Mother’s Day gives you a chance to appreciate the people who have helped you grow. To all the moms and mother figures who’ve rooted for us, nurtured us, and leaf-ed a lasting legacy on our lives — today we celebrate you!

Sarah Barker, Project Manager of the Reforest Canada Collective (RCC), had the opportunity to attend the 2026 Wildfire Resilience Knowledge & Networks Gathering in Québec City this week, hosted by the Wildfire Resilience Consortium of Canada (WRCC). The gathering brought together people from across the wildfire management ecosystem to share knowledge, strengthen relationships, and explore how regional knowledge networks can better support collaboration and decision-making on the ground. Forests Canada attended to ensure the important role of forest restoration in wildfire resilience and recovery was part of this conversation. Proactive restoration can help build healthier, more resilient landscapes, while post-fire restoration can support ecological recovery and help communities recover after wildfire impacts. Grateful for the conversations, insights, and connections over the past few days, and looking forward to seeing how this momentum continues to grow across Canada.

Tree planting season is well underway! 🌱 Our planting partner, @LSRCA, has been hard at work planting for afforestation and to establish a windbreak on a property in East Gwillimbury. This site had more than 3,800 saplings planted, including an assortment of Eastern White Cedar, Red Oak, Silver Maple, Red Pine, Tamarack, Bur Oak, and many more. If you are interested in learning more about our Tree Planting Program, visit our website - forestscanada.ca/en/program/Pla…

Yesterday, our Sr. Coordinator of Education, Madeleine Bray, attended the 2026 @skillsontario Competition. She spent the day speaking to thousands of students about our educational programs and handing out some of our resources. It was truly inspiring to see the next generation of leaders sharing their passions and interests.

With Mother's Day approaching, we are thinking about the roots that hold us all together. Like the mothers or mother figures we have, forests are the original caregivers—nurturing and sustaining all life. From teaching and inspiring our future forest stewards to planting native trees to growing future forests, your support helps to care for these vital ecosystems for generations to come! Be a part of a lasting legacy. Make a donation today! forestscanada.ca/en?form=Donati…

🌲May The Forest Be With You!🌳 #ForestsCanada #ForestLovers #TreeMagic #EcoFriendly

It's been a couple of un-be-leaf-able busy weeks for our budding environmental leaders! Last week, we had students from various regions, including Grey/Bruce, Ottawa, Simcoe/Dufferin, Algoma, and Southwestern Ontario, participating in Ontario Envirothon workshops and competing in their regional events. We enjoyed seeing everyone's hard work and dedication as they branched out, worked together, and explored new environmental topics. Over the next few weeks, the 2026 regional events will be wrapping up with workshops or competitions from teams in Ottawa and Kenora. Best of luck to everyone! Congratulations to all the winning teams that will go on to represent their region at the provincial competition later this month at The University of Waterloo! #ForestsCanada #ONEnvirothon

April showers bring May flowers! 💮 You may notice some trees have started to change, as bare branches bud, leaf out, and begin to flower. Trees are ready to turn over a new leaf and add some colour to forests!  If you are going out and exploring nature this weekend, take some time to see these changes for yourself. Look up at the canopy and notice the small changes, from tiny leaves to the first blossoms. It's tree-ly an un-be-leaf-able sight! 🌱

Did you know Forests Canada has a Landowner Guide?  We know that ensuring the health and resiliency of your forest is a year-round commitment. After years of collecting questions and topics of interest about how best to transition from newly planted trees to healthy, resilient, forested landscapes, we've developed a FREE resource to help property owners and managers at each stage of tree development.   Check out our Landowner Guide - forestscanada.ca/en/article/lan…

We’re celebrating 10 Years of Forest Conservation and Restoration with EcoJam!🌳 For over a decade, Smith + Andersen has hosted EcoJam, a charity benefit rock concert that spotlights the talent within their industry. This year’s event on April 16 in Toronto was another sold-out success, raising $75,000 for Forests Canada. We're incredibly grateful to Smith + Andersen and the EcoJam community for their ongoing support. With their donation this year, they have now raised over $330,000 to help conserve, restore, and grow Canada’s forests. Read more about EcoJam's support of Forests Canada! ow.ly/RQzn50YS4hF

The newest issue of Our Forest is here! Check out the spring issue to read about seed collecting in a changing climate, explore the planting projects recovering thousands of hectares of critical forest after devastating storms and wildfires, and understand why restoring vital habitat is a collaborative effort.  Read now: forestscanada.ca/en/article/our…

Another great way to celebrate Earth Week is with Ontario Envirothon!  It was an un-be-leaf-able week for our future budding environmental leaders! With workshops or competitions happening in Grand River, Simcoe/Dufferin, Thunder Bay and York Regions, more than 100 high school students were truly spreading their roots of knowledge and getting ready for the provincial competition.

Happy Volunteer Week! 💚 We are taking the time to recognize all the people who have turned their passion into action! From Ontario Envirothon to Take Root to Community Tree Planting, all our volunteers bring energy to every initiative and demonstrate that real impact and change are powered by people and community.

Learn more about @forestscanada, who we support to restore forests from seed to survival: forestscanada.ca/en ​🌲 - Découvrez Forests Canada, l'organisme que nous soutenons pour la restauration des forêts, de la semence à la survie: forestscanada.ca/en 🌲

🌎Our Power, Our Planet. 🌱 Just as a forest doesn't grow from a single seedling, we are reminded that environmental progress and our work doesn't happen alone. Our power comes from collective action and the vital relationships we have with our planting partners, community networks, and with supporters like you, which make meaningful, lasting impact possible.    With the recent increase of wildfires, destructive storms, and invasive species on natural landscapes across the country, knowing how Canadians can help restore forests gives us a sense of hope. We continue to work with our network of partners to make a real and lasting legacy, and you can be a part of that. Supporting Forests Canada means more opportunities to strengthen forest resilience and restore damaged ecosystems. When we grow together, our planet thrives! Make a lasting impact - forestscanada.ca/en/product/don…