Our Forests Need Our Help!

by Catherine Stratford  April 2023

According to Stéphane Gingras, from Ambioterra, the state of the forests in the Montérégie area has deteriorated. From 2009 to 2017, there has been a loss of 21 000 hectares of forest. Furthermore, one can add the effects of dryer summers, more intense storms, sleet, climate catastrophes, the decimation of Ash trees by the Emerald Ash Borer, disease and clear-cutting are factors that have taken a toll on our forests and the health of the remaining trees.

Our forests need a helping hand! We need to ‘garden’ the forests in our region. It is good to diversify forests by planting various kinds of tree species native to our region. One can also harvest trees selectively with little disturbance to the forest. A healthy forest means greater biodiversity. They go hand in hand.

* The Municipal Tree Give-Away organized by the Hemmingford Environment Committee will take place on Saturday, May 13 this year from 10am to 1pm in the Old Convent Parking Lot (next to the Catholic Church) Check the social media: Ensemble Hemmingford Together for more information, closer to the date. There will also be posters put up in the village, a week before the event. These trees are provided by the Quebec Ministry of Forests and Parks. The event is sponsored by the Quebec 4-H Clubs.

** The Fête des Jardins will once again be taking place at the same time as the Tree -Give-Away. It is a Garden exchange of plants, seeds and garden tools. My tree, my forest, my future!