About Let's Tree Wilmot
Our Mission
Let’s Tree Wilmot is a volunteer run non-profit, and a project of the Wilmot Horticultural Society. Community focused, LTW’s goals are to plant and protect trees in Wilmot Township. Through partnerships and cooperation, native species are planted by volunteers both in public spaces and on private lands. Let’s Tree Wilmot actively engages the public in forest stewardship through planting, education and training.
Things We Do
- Started a seedling bed in 2022 to increase the trees available to plant in a variety of locations. This year, 350 seedling trees were transplanted to the Nithview Floodplain. Seedlings were replaced to a total of 1242 trees growing.
- A total of 1,122 trees planted = 370 Volunteer planting hours. We planted at Nithview Floodplain, Perth St. wetland, New Dundee, Scott & Petersburg Community Parks, and Sir Adam Beck Public School.
- Last 5 years - 5,862 planted - Equivalent to 30 acres of future forest canopy
- LTW Water Warriors watered 2600 trees with total of 269 hours.
- Video on tree planting techniques. It is narrated by the tree—check it out by clicking here!
- LTW has created a number of instructional videos on mulching, watering and more. Go to our YouTube channel by clicking here!
- Numerous articles in local publications and posts on social media helped to create awareness about LTW and to educate on tree care
- Developing long-term plans with several partners for larger forest-building projects
- The $160,000 2 Billion Tree Natural Resources Canada grant was completed in March. Federal Canadian Municipalities Funding we received with the announcement made this summer. We won funding for three years.
- In 2023, we worked with the Township of Wilmot’s creation of the Tree Canopy Study endorsed by Council on December 11, 2023. Click to view report.
The LTW Team
The LTW team is made up of volunteer committee members with the help of many community volunteers. We are passionate about planting trees and fostering stewardship, one tree at a time, through community participation.
Marlene Knezevich
Chair, LTW
Director, Wilmot Horticultural Society
Dean Peachey
Chair, Project Committee
Chair, Fundraising Committee
Louis Silcox
Chair, Education Committee
Chrystina McNeil
Communications/Promotions
Contact us at LetsTreeWilmot@gmail.com for more information or to join our team.
Our Roots
Let’s Tree Wilmot held its first meeting on Wednesday, March 11, 2020 (the day the Covid Pandemic was announced!). This was the culmination of many months of discussions between Nith Valley EcoBoosters, Wilmot Horticultural Society, Rotary Wilmot and the Township of Wilmot. A shared goal of growing the tree canopy of Wilmot Township brought us together.
By the fall of 2020, enough funds were raised to allow LTW to hold its first tree planting event. Following Covid protocols, on Saturday, October 24th, 100 large native trees were planted at Scott Park in New Hamburg. The 53 volunteers who registered (ages 5+) were assisted by the first 7 LTW planting guides. It was a great success.
The following year, activities increased with more volunteers joining and COVID-19 restrictions decreased. Along with Wilmot Township staff, members identified priority locations for planting, selected tree and shrub species suited to the growing conditions, and watered the trees planted the previous year.
Since 2020, Let’s Tree Wilmot volunteers have planted and cared for at least 5,862 native trees and shrubs on Wilmot Township property, Region of Waterloo Baden Hills and including 1224 more planted on private lands. Trees were planted in Township parks in Baden, New Dundee, New Hamburg, Mannheim, St. Agatha, Petersburg, and Haysville. 30 acres of habitat restoration created since 2020.
