Fergus Elora Rotary Club Working to Preserve Big Trees
 
Some 80 people were on hand on a beautiful October morning to celebrate Tree Trust Centre Wellington as they stewarded their program’s tenth tree – a legacy Sugar Maple at 365 Garafraxa St. West in Fergus.  
The Rotary Club of Fergus-Elora sponsored the stewardship of this tree and a number of club members were on hand to witness the arborists at work. Club president, Rob Galloway, remarked in his speech that Tree Trust reflects the Rotary Club’s environmental focus with a local program where donors, can see their donations at work.
While tree planting is a popular and important part of taking care of the environment, it is mature trees that do the heavy lifting – storing carbon, supplying habitat, providing shade and slowing storm water run-off. In fact, one mature tree does the work of 269 saplings.
Tree Trust is growing and now has 6 chapters, each working in their own communities investing donations to help preserve some of their important trees. Local Rotary Clubs in Stratford, Meaford and Town of Blue Mountains, like the Fergus-Elora club, have stepped up to support this program – the only one of its kind.
Tree Trust is part of the Elora Environment Centre, a registered Charity. For more information, please contact Jaimie McDonald at cw@treetrust.ca or visit TreeTrust.ca.
A plaque has been placed at the base of the tree acknowledging the Rotary’s generous contribution.