Let’s Tree Wilmot plans and plants for the future

By Nigel Gordijk  Wednesday, December 1, 2021

Let’s Tree Wilmot volunteer Andrea Berwick told attendees how a legacy gift would cover the cost of a tree for next year’s planting sessions. (Photo: Nigel Gordijk)

Let’s Tree Wilmot’s Fall Celebration on Nov. 30 began with a Chinese proverb.

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second-best time is now.”

The organization, which describes itself as a project of the Wilmot Horticultural Society, was launched last year on March 11, the same date that COVID was declared a global pandemic. In between lockdowns, Let’s Tree Wilmot (LTW) has brought together dozens of community volunteers to plant a total of 800 trees across the township, including 614 this year.

Marlene Knezevich, LTW’s chair and one of its founding members, told the celebration’s 55 attendees at the Wilmot Recreation Complex about the group’s history, and she also thanked the executive team for accomplishing so much in such a short time.

Initial funding for LTW’s activities came from community grants and private donations, while the Township provided the first 50 trees.

Wilmot’s Parks and Facilities manager Geoff Dubrick was presented with a sweet award for his enthusiasm and hard work, which included personally planting trees at three of this year’s five sessions – a giant cookie bearing LTW’s logo. Sandy Jackson, director of Parks, Facilities and Recreation, was also recognized for her leadership. MP Tim Louis, who was unable to attend the event, was thanked in his absence for helping out at four of the planting events this fall.

The evening’s featured speaker was Phil Holst, Wetland Conservation Designer for the Mike Schout Wetland Preserve in New Hamburg, which is currently being developed. He spoke about “Transforming the Natural Landscape”, described the plans for the local preserve, and also discussed how wetlands can help with flood mitigation, a frequently recurring issue in Wilmot and beyond.

Both Holst and Knezevich explained that the work being done by LTW and similar groups will benefit the community decades from now, and will be enjoyed by future generations. Knezevich talked about a campaign to increase Wilmot’s tree canopy over the next 40 years.

As the holiday season approaches, LTW encouraged supporters to consider giving a “gift that grows” by making a $25 donation that will cover the cost of planting a tree in Wilmot in 2022. This legacy gift is available from www.wilmothortsociety.ca/give-a-tree/.