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Dufferin residents invited to plant 200 native trees at Splitrock Narrows

September 11, 2025   ·   0 Comments

By Paula Brown, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Dufferin County residents have the chance to help plant native vegetation in a well-known local part of the Bruce Trail system.

TD Friends of the Environment Foundation is working with the Nottawasaga Valley Conservation Authority (NVCA) to host TD Tree Days. The planting event is scheduled for Sept. 20 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.

“This is a really great opportunity to come out and help increase and enhance your local green space while meeting your neighbours, colleagues, and friends. It’s also a really great way to just spend time out in nature,” said Carolyn Scotchmer, executive director of TD Friends of the Environment Foundation.

TD Tree Days is a volunteer program created by TD Friends of the Environment Foundation, a charity affiliated with the financial institution that has been supporting urban greening programs for 35 years.

Each year, the TD Friends of the Environment Foundation works with local not-for-profits, municipalities, conservation authorities, and Indigenous communities to bring a variety of planting events to life in green spaces.

The goal of TD Tree Days is to bring employees, friends, families, and members of the community together to plant new vegetation in local green spaces within the TD North American footprint.

This year marks the 15th anniversary of TD Tree Days, and the foundation has set an ambitious goal of planting a total of 30,000 trees and shrubs across Canada.

“TD really recognizes that our local green spaces are of critical importance to our communities. These are spaces that support mental and physical health in communities as well as spaces that provide a place for communities to come together, interact and connect with the people around them,” said Scotchmer.

TD Friends of the Environment Foundation previously worked with the NVCA in 2018 to plant a total of 300 native trees and shrubs at Splitrock Narrows Nature Reserve, with more than 40 volunteers participating.

This year, the foundation is planning to plant a total of 200 native trees and shrubs at Splitrock Narrows Nature Reserve, located near Mono and Shelburne.

Ahead of the event, volunteers are recommended to dress in appropriate clothing such as layers for flexible weather conditions, sturdy footwear, hats, sunglasses, sunscreen, insect repellent, and gardening gloves.

Students looking to use the event towards their volunteer hours are required to bring their official volunteer form for the TD site leader to complete and sign.

“The event goes rain and shine,” said Scotchmer. “With the work of our supporting organization as well as the TD site leader, it’s really a fantastic day.”

For more information about TD Tree Days or to register for the upcoming event at Splitrock Narrows Nature Reserve, visit: https://www.tdtreedays.com/en-ca/mono-splitrock-narrows-nature-reserve.

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