It’s a 'Green Day' in North London as hundreds of trees are planted

Mayor Ed Holder joins representatives from Harvey’s Restaurants and Trees Canada for a ceremonial planting of the first, of 319 trees and shrubs, planted by volunteers on Thursday, Oct. 20, 2021. (Sean Irvine CTV News)

London, Ont. -

An effort to make the Forest City greener took over North London Wednesday afternoon.

Reforest London hosted a significant tree planting event on Sunningdale Road West, just west of Richmond.

Forty volunteers, primarily employees from Harvey’s Restaurants and their families, took part.

They planted 319 native trees and shrubs in an area surrounding a pond and a subdivision.Some of the 40 volunteers who helped plant trees in a city-owned green space along Sunningdale Road West in London, Oct. 20. 2021. (Sean Irvine / CTV News)Dan Marina of Reforest London, says the effort will contribute to improved water quality, wildlife habitat and human interaction.

Marina adds the new trees will also help control unwanted species.

“If we don’t go ahead and plant these native trees on site today, there is a good chance what we’re going to end up with over time is a lot of invasive buckthorns and other trees that we don’t really want to have growing on this site.”Dan Marina of Reforest London, Oct. 20. 2021. (Sean Irvine / CTV News)Mayor Ed Holder joined volunteers and officials from Harvey’s in a ceremonial planting of the first trees.

Moments earlier, he stated the efforts of all those helping, ensure London continues to live up to its namesake as Canada’s Forest City.

“It does matter what you’re doing here today particularly. And we’ve seen it right across our city from Veterans Memorial Parkway to our city land right here, where what we are doing is making a difference.”