The Government of Saskatchewan’s spring forest renewal projects are underway, with approximately 2.2 million new trees – two trees per Saskatchewan resident – to be planted in Saskatchewan’s northern forest.
“Planting trees is a long-term investment in Saskatchewan’s future,” Environment Minister Scott Moe said. “Each year, forest companies and government plant millions of trees to help maintain both a healthy ecosystem and a thriving forest industry.”
When combined with the number industry plants under their forest management agreements (FMAs), the number of new trees exceeds nine million.
Today, Minster Moe joined ministry officials and a tree-planter from the Prince Albert area project to symbolically plant two spruce trees near the legislature in Regina’s Wascana Park to raise awareness about the significant forest renewal effort and the hard work of tree-planters in northern Saskatchewan. This year, the spring forest renewal projects will see trees planted at sites in the Carrot River, Hudson Bay and Prince Albert areas. The planting is completed by private silvicultural contractors whose crews hand-plant jack pine and white spruce seedlings.
“I’m very pleased to have been involved in the reforestation industry for the last 30 years,” Sandhill Reforestation owner Ray Nordin said. “Our industry makes a significant contribution to both the environment and the economy, and I’m proud to be a part of it.”
Saskatchewan’s forest industry shares the responsibility for forest renewal with government. Under current FMAs, large forest companies are responsible for reforesting the areas they harvest. The Ministry of Environment renews areas not covered by agreements, and areas harvested before agreements were in place.
Forest renewal by government and industry has been ongoing in Saskatchewan since the 1930s, with more than a half billion trees planted in the province to date.
