Tree Power comes to Perth South (UTRCA weekly, October 15, 2021)
London Hydro, Festival Hydro (Stratford), and now Perth South have all adopted the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority’s (UTRCA) Tree Power program!
The Tree Power concept was initiated in 2011 by Bill Kunz, an employee of London Hydro. The goal was to encourage homeowners to plant shade trees to help reduce home energy consumption and fight climate change. Today, this goal is more important than ever.
Residents of Perth South were able to order their choice of five native hardwood tree species: American sycamore, basswood, red maple, swamp white oak, and river birch. These 1.5 metres-tall, potted trees ranged in price from $20-25. A total of 300 trees were available.
On Saturday, October 2, township councillors, Jaime Martin and Sue Orr, along with UTRCA staff handed out the trees to homeowners. A few dozen trees were still available for purchase, and they were all sold and in their new homes before the end of the day!
The incredible fall weather and happy tree recipients made for a great day and sparked conversations about Perth South Tree Power becoming an annual event. Councillor Sue Orr said, “We are so pleased with the positive response we had from our residents. There is a hope that we could run this program for years to come!”
