Dedicated to celebrating the month of the Tree and Forests the MRC Pontiac staff were giving out free trees to community members as part of the Tree and Forests Festival.

The staff set up shop in the parking lot of the MRC and . . .

gave away trees that were donated by the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife, and Parks.

Although it was raining, the department of territory and environment who organized the event, set up tents to welcome community members. They were also barbecuing, and all the proceeds from the barbecue are being donated to Bouff Pontiac, said Jason Durand, director of land use planning and environment.

“What I like is people are very passionate about the environment. They’re very happy to receive their trees. They want the best out of them and some of them are regulars. They come here every year and tell us about the trees they previously planted before. They’re very proud,” said Durand.

One of the trees they were giving away was the white pine which is emblematic of the Pontiac and the economy heavily depended on it and exported it overseas many years ago to make ships,” explained Durand.

“There’s a lot of history related to the white pine and the Pontiac was definitely one site for big white pine,” said Durand.

Some of the types of trees they were giving away were: white spruce, red pine yellow birch, sugar maple red oak, bur oak and black cherry.

By holding this event annually it is a way for the MRC to raise awareness of the importance of trees and forests and the simple act of planting a tree is one way to contribute to the health of nature, pointed out Durand.

Not only that but the aim of the event was to be outdoors and mingling with community members and being able to see them after such a long time stuck in isolation, Durand highlighted that was a big part of the event.

“It’s fun to have the public come and participate meet the team at the MRC get some free treats. Everybody is always really excited for this event,” said Colleen Jones, communications director at the MRC.

They were also holding a raffle to win some free merchandise with the new MRC Pontiac brand.

Denise Francoeur came to grab some trees as she was looking to plant them on her two-acre lot near the water and wanted tress to last through the winter months, she explained.

She excitedly walked away with her basket of trees. Anyone that came to the event was able to take home at least three trees.

Lyne Morin enjoys coming every year to pick up plants for her four acres of land, she enjoys gardening and also likes planting them in front of her house for privacy.

“It’s a good thing to have the trees to give them a chance to grow and having our trees it’s a gift for us,” Morin said.

For Kim Lesage, a civil engineer, she loves to see the familiar faces that come back year after year. “It’s really nice to see families that do it every year with their kids, their grandkids and they come back every year and tell us about the trees that they planted three years ago or five years ago. And it’s nice to hear their stories,” she said.

When asked for advice on planting trees Durand laughed and said, “Green side up.”

Every tree has different needs but added when planting the tree pick a suitable spot for enough sun exposure.

Jason Durand, Director of land use planning and environment, said the importance of the Tree and Forests Festival event is that it brings awareness to the importance of trees and the forest.

Lyne Morin, an avid gardener appreciates the Tree and Forests Festival and continues to attend year after year.

Register or subscribe to read this content

Thanks for stopping by! This article is available to readers who have created a free account or who subscribe to The Equity.

When you register for free with your email, you get access to a limited number of stories at no cost. Subscribers enjoy unlimited access to everything we publish—and directly support quality local journalism here in the Pontiac.

Register or Subscribe Today!