Marley Moose, a 22-year-old, is dedicating her third summer to reforesting northern Manitoba after wildfires devastated the area. This initiative has become more challenging due to the termination of a federal program with the ambitious goal of planting two billion trees by 2030.
Moose, actively involved in planting jack pine and black spruce trees in the burnt landscape, expressed her commitment to bringing life back to the once vibrant areas. The forest in Manitoba’s Interlake region faced a setback in 2016 due to a jack pine budworm infestation, only to be further ravaged by wildfires in 2021, particularly in the Devils Lake area.
The cancellation of the federal two billion trees program has added uncertainty to initiatives like the one led by Nekoté LP, an Indigenous-owned corporation supporting seven Swampy Cree First Nations. The Canadian Tree Nursery Association (CTNA) highlights that Canada is losing trees at an alarming rate, exacerbated by factors like deforestation for development and wildfires.
Formerly spearheaded by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, the 2 Billion Trees Program was axed in favor of redirecting funds towards defense and infrastructure projects. This move has put reforestation efforts at risk, particularly in the face of recurring wildfires and the urgent need to replenish lost tree cover.
As Canada grapples with consecutive severe fire seasons and forests turning into carbon sources rather than sinks, industry experts and environmentalists are collaborating to find alternative funding sources post the program cancellation. Tree planting projects, like the one managed by Nekoté LP in Manitoba, are seeking new avenues for financial support to continue their mission of planting millions of trees for a sustainable future.