2 Million Trees Planted to Honor Canadian Armed Forces on Highway of Heroes
Over the past eight years, more than two million trees have been planted along Ontario’s Highway 401 – famously known as the Highway of Heroes – to honor all who have served in the Canadian Armed Forces. This effort is part of the Trees for Life Highway of Heroes Tree Campaign, launched in 2015, with the goal of planting one tree for every Canadian who has served in the military since the country’s Confederation in 1867.
In a significant show of community support, Oriole Landscaping volunteered their services to plant trees along the Highway of Heroes in Grafton, Ontario. Their contribution is a key part of the massive reforestation effort that has transformed the highway corridor into a living tribute to Canada’s military heroes.
This week, the final tree of the campaign was planted during a ceremony at Toronto’s Historic Fort York. Labour Minister Seamus O’Regan, speaking on behalf of Jonathan Wilkinson, Minister of Natural Resources, marked the occasion with a message of gratitude and reflection.
“Along the Highway of Heroes, trees have been planted to symbolize the sacrifices of those who served in Canada’s armed forces. This eight-year-long tree-planting campaign was completed today in Ontario,” Wilkinson shared in a press release. “This important undertaking also leaves our communities with shade and clean air for generations to come. I would like to congratulate all of those involved.”
The campaign was supported by Natural Resources Canada, which contributed $2.4 million through its 2 Billion Trees program, a national initiative aimed at large-scale reforestation projects.
