
The Brampton Environmental Alliance hosted two tree-planting events at Gore Meadows Recreation Centre this past two Wednesdays. The events were supported by the Associations of Seniors Clubs Brampton as well as students from Louise Arbor Secondary School and Castlebrook Secondary School. Members of Sierra Club Peel also attended as did employees from Hydro One along with other community members.


Thirty participants attended the September 6th event despite hot, humid weather. Thirty-eight attended on September 13th under much cooler conditions.
The trees, shovels and other equipment were provided by Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, (TRCA). TRCA staff members Jake, Nick and Connor provided tree planting training and ensured proper safety protocols were followed.

Tree monitoring support was provided by Alice, Sadia and Seema from the Association of Canadian Educational Resources, ACER.

These BEA tree planting events are part of two BEA projects. Graceful Aging Through Connecting with Nature, GATCWN, is designed to encourage seniors aged 55+ to improve their balance and their appreciation for nature by exercising in the outdoors. The BEA has partnered with Sierra Club Peel, People Against Littering, Heart Lake Turtle Troopers, and Friends and Stewards of Dorchester Park to provide a range of outdoor activities during the spring, summer and fall of 2023.

The Rooted in Hope Project is designed to create community connection between seniors and youth through tree planting and monitoring activities. The youth and seniors work together to first plant the trees and then monitor their health and growth over the next 3-4 years. The seniors receive community and volunteer opportunities while providing mentorship and support to the youth. And the youth learn valuable science and math skills.

GATCWN is financially supported through the Federal New Horizons for Seniors Program. Rooted in Hope is supported through the Ontario Seniors Community grant.