August 21, 2024 Nova Scotia Natural Resources Canada
Tree planting helps to tackle the dual crises of climate change and biodiversity loss. Forests have many benefits: they capture carbon and help fight against climate change; they provide cool temperatures and shade for humans and animals; they reduce the risk of wildland fires and mitigate floods; and they support human well-being by creating more green spaces where Canadians can relax and connect with nature.
Today, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson, Canada's Minister of Energy and Natural Resources, and the Honourable Tory Rushton, Nova Scotia's Minister of the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables, announced a joint investment of more than $40 million to plant up to 21 million trees by 2031 on private and public lands in Nova Scotia. This funding will result in the planting of more than 21 trees for each resident of Nova Scotia.
Trees planted under this project will help restore forest health and biodiversity, which is a critical part of the long-term response to the destruction of forests we saw during the unprecedented 2023 wildfire season. They will increase forest resilience and mitigate future risks of wildland fires in rural and suburban communities. The project will also support reforestation of the land near waterways and conservation efforts for species at risk, such as the mainland moose and the American marten. The funding will strengthen Nova Scotia's tree-planting supply chain, from seed collection to nurseries to tree planting and monitoring. This work will create hundreds of jobs across the forestry sector in Nova Scotia.
Federal funding comes from the 2 Billion Trees program, part of the Government of Canada's broader approach to nature-based climate solutions. By working together with provinces, territories, local communities, non-and for-profit organizations and Indigenous Peoples, Canada continues to build a strong, healthy future for generations to come.
