The Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) has announced the conservation of more than 1,100 acres of forest across Canada. This conservation includes hardwood, montane, and deciduous and coniferous forests. The agency says a quarter of a million trees have been conserved with the help of the TD Forests Program.
TD is one of Canada’s largest banks.
“Ninety percent of Canadians have said forests are important to them, and for good reason,” says Karen Clarke-Whistler, TD’s Chief Environment Officer. “Forests form the backdrop of our lives. They are where we work, live and play. Forests play an essential role in cleaning the air and moderating temperatures, and are home to more than one-third of the plant and animal species in North America. As our world becomes more urbanized it is essential to protect forests and the valuable habitats they represent. That’s why we made growing the area of protected forest habitat a key pillar of the TD Forests program.”
The year one projects completed with the NCC under TD Forests in Canada include:
- 73 acres (30 hectares) of Carolinian forest in southern Ontario,
- 764 acres (309 hectares) of unfragmented forest along the Vermont-Quebec border in the Green Mountains of Quebec,
- 262 acres (106 hectares) of a critical, forested wildlife corridor in the Crowsnest Pass area of Alberta’s southern Rockies.
The TD Forests program says it will increase the amount of forested lands protected and cared for by the Nature Conservancy of Canada. Over five years, the program will conserve an average of two football fields a day. TD and NCC are also trying to get more Canadians involved in the mission. The goal is not to just safeguard the trees, but all the living things that rely on forested habitats as well.
NCC takes a particular interest in conserving the forestry located in southern Canada, where forests are most threatened by development. This is where the majority of Canadians live, competing for space with more than 80 percent of terrestrial and freshwater species at risk.
