Our subsidized Backyard Tree Planting program offers an affordable and convenient way to get the right tree in the right place, so that you can enjoy the company of your new leafy friend for years to come. If you live in Markham, Richmond Hill, Vaughan, Aurora or Newmarket, one of our arborists will meet with you in your yard, speak with you about what you’re looking for in a tree, and assess your site conditions (such as soil type, amount of sunlight, and available space). They’ll help you to select a tree that will thrive in your yard, and then we’ll come back to plant it for you as well!
If you’re in East Gwillimbury, Georgina, King, Whitchurch-Stouffville, our Do-It-Yourself program is for you! Through the completion of an online workshop, we will help you select the right tree for your yard and plant it strategically to beautify your yard. You will receive personalized advice from one of our arborists about what species will do well in your yard, and then purchase these trees and shrubs for home delivery or for pick-up at a local community event.
This year, it’s more important than ever to plant new trees, as we will be losing so many due to the Emerald Ash Borer (EAB). This invasive insect pest attacks and kills all species of ash trees by feeding underneath the bark and cutting off the flow of water and nutrients within the tree. There are approximately 700,000 ash trees growing in York Region’s urban areas, and most of these are expected to become infested and die within the next ten to fifteen years.
We encourage all homeowners who have room on their property to plant a tree, as we will be losing a significant percentage of canopy cover in our communities due to EAB infestation. We need to replace these trees in order to strengthen our urban forest for the future. And if you want to help us share information about treatment options for ash trees and encourage replanting efforts in your community, sign up to become a LEAF EAB Ambassador today!
Want to learn more about your urban forest and what you can do to protect it? We will be hosting many exciting events in York Region this year, including our popular guided Tree Tours and our Tree Tenders Volunteer Training Program. We look forward to seeing you in York Region this spring!
LEAF’s subsidized Backyard Tree Planting Program is supported by York Region, the City of Markham and Ontario Power Generation.