In the month of May, the Sustainability Office held three tree planting events. Over 150 trees were planted by the Village 1 Healing Forest and around 100 trees were planted on North Campus, adding to tree planting efforts from 2023. Ten large trees were also planted at East Campus and UW Place, bringing more greenery to the urban interior of campus. Thank you to the 120 volunteers and many participating Green Office teams for their help!
While planting trees, volunteers also helped remove invasive species like garlic mustard and European buckthorn. Roughly 20 bags of garlic mustard were removed from the Healing Forest over the two planting sessions in the area!
Tree plantings and invasive species removals are key to sustainable land care. The Sustainability Office released the Sustainable Land Care Standard in 2023 to provide a framework to guide the development and management of the 1,200 acres of property the University of Waterloo owns. One part of this standard is outlining the types of native and non-invasive trees that can be planted during events like these. The full Sustainable Land Care Standard is available on the Sustainability Office’s website to learn more.
To be notified of future sustainable events you can volunteer for, sign up to be a Green Volunteer.
In June, the Sustainability Office will be focused on sustainable transportation. On June 20 from 11am-2pm (ET), the annual Bike Fair will be happening in the Arts Quad. Stop by for a free bike tune-up, learn more about local cycling resources, and more!
Thank you for helping build a sustainable campus together.