Today, September 20, the City of St. John’s, with support from Tree Canada, is celebrating the 13^th anniversary of National Tree Day.

A tree planting ceremony was held at Victoria Park to mark the occasion. Deputy Mayor Sheilagh O’Leary was joined by the Honourable Bernard Davis – NL Minister of Environment and Climate Change, members of St. John’s City Council, representatives from Tree Canada, the Bowring Park Foundation, Clean St. John’s, First Light NL and students from St. Teresa's Elementary.

National Tree Day is an opportunity for Canadians to appreciate the great benefits that trees provide us - clean air, wildlife habitat, reduced energy demands and opportunities to connect with nature.

The City encourages residents to show their appreciation for trees on September 20. Here are some things Tree Canada suggests you can do to celebrate National Tree Day:

• Take care of trees. Find a tree or green space that needs some TLC and help it thrive by watering, mulching or fertilizing it. Read our Tree Planting Guide at treecanada.ca/guide
• Spend time with trees. From picnics to yoga, time spent among the trees is a great way to connect with nature and celebrate.

In addition to National Tree Day, the City of St. John’s plants trees in recognition of the multitude of environmental benefits that they provide. The City also runs an annual Residential Re-Leaf Program in the spring of each year. This allows homeowners within the City of St. John’s to apply for a $200 voucher towards the purchase of a tree to plant on their property to enhance our existing urban forest.

Thank you to the City’s Parks division for organizing the event and to all sponsors and partners for making National Tree Day a success.