The Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority

Riverine Flood Status
Normal
Lake Simcoe Shoreline Status
Normal
Low Water Status
Normal

Plant Trees

​​​​​​​​​Full Service Tree Planting

We can help you establish a new forest, connect or enlarge your existing forest, or establish a windbreak. Our team of experts will help you every step of the way from funding and planning to planting and tending your new trees. We may cover between 50 and 90%!

As part of our tree planting service, we offer:

Preparation Services

  • Private, no obligation site visit to assess your property
  • Information on grants to offset project costs
  • Customized planting plan to suit your needs
  • Advice and possible support for site preparation

Planting Services

  • Delivery and installation of high quality, locally grown plant stock and materials
  • Experienced planting staff to complete your project efficiently and carefully, typically within one day
  • Inexpensive tree and shrub planting services (machine and hand planting options)
  • Ongoing technical support and advice
Tractor operator and planter work together to plant several rows of tree seedlings in an open field. Large trees and an onlooker are visible in the background.

What species are available for planting?

Seedling Species

(15-40 cm bare root stock)

Coniferous Species:
Species Site Requirements Shade Tolerance Average Mature Size Salt Resistance

White Pine
Pinus strobus

grows well on a wide range of soils including moist sands, loams and well-drained clays

semi-tolerant
height - 30m diameter - 100cm
low

Red Pine
Pinus resinosa

does well on deep, well-drained sands or sandy loams

intolerant

height - 25m
diameter - 75cm

low

White Spruce
Picea glauca

suits a range of soils from moist sands to sandy and clay loams

tolerant

height - 25m
diameter - 60cm

low

Norway Spruce
Picea abies

moist, sandy loams and clay loams
tolerant
height - 35m diameter - 130cm
moderate

White Cedar

Thuja occidentalis

grows well on a wide range of soils
tolerant
height - 15m diameter - 30cm
low

Tamarack
Larix laricina

grows best in moist, well-drained soils, but often dominates poorly drained areas
intolerant
height -25m diameter - 40cm
high

European Larch
Larix decidua

does well on well-drained loams and sandy loams

intolerant
height - 30m diameter - 100cm
high
Deciduous Species:
Species Site Requirements Shade Tolerance Average Mature Size Salt Resistance

Red Oak
Quercus rubra

grows best in fresh to moist, well-drained loamy soils, but will tolerate rocky or gravelly upland, acidic soils

semi-tolerant
height - 25m diameter - 75cm
high

Black Walnut
Juglans nigra

suited for deep, moist well- drained loams or sandy or silt loams
intolerant
height - 30m diameter - 100cm
moderate

Hardwood Tree Species

(150 cm minimum bare root stock)

Species Site Requirements Shade Tolerance Average Mature Size Salt Resistance

Sugar maple

 Acer saccharum

grows in deep, fertile, moist, well-drained sandy loams, loamy sands and silt loams

tolerant
height - 24m diameter-75cm
moderate

Silver maple

 Acer saccharinum

grows in rich, moist, bottom land fine textures silt and clay soils, but will also tolerate dry conditions

semi-tolerant
height - 21m diameter-60cm
moderate

Red oak

 Querus rubra

grows best in fresh to moist, well-drained loamy soils, but will tolerate rocky or gravelly upland, acidic soils
semi-tolerant
height - 25m diameter-75cm
high
Bur oak Querus macrocarpa
grows best in rich bottom land, well-drained loam; will tolerate dry sand to poorly drained clay
semi-tolerant
height - 15m diameter-60cm
high

Black walnut
Juglans nigra

grows best in moist, well-drained loams or sandy or silt loams
intolerant
height - 30m diameter-100cm
moderate

Black cherry 

Prunus serotina

grows best on well-drained, rich loamy soils but will tolerate most soils (dry to moist soils)
intolerant
height - 21m diameter-45cm
moderate

Balsam poplar 

Populus balsamifera

grows best in moist, rich, low lying soils, mainly near streambanks
intolerant
height - 18m diameter-30cm
moderate

Basswood

 Tilia americana

grows best in deep, moist, well-drained, fertile loamy soils, but will tolerate other sites
semi-tolerant
height - 21m diameter-60cm
moderate

Wildlife Shrub Species

​(25-60 cm bare root stock)

Species Habitat Soil Growth Form Use

Nannyberry 

Viburnum lentago

moist to well- drained sandy soils

wetlands, forest edges, thickets, streambanks

erect, suckering shrub, height up to 6m

food for wildlife, erosion control, naturalization

Alternate- leaved dogwood Cornus alternifolia

well-drained soils

hillsides, ravine slopes, open forests, thickets

multi-stemmed shrub, height up to 6m

food for wildlife, erosion control

Grey dogwood Cornus racemosa

moist to well- drained sandy soils

roadsides, fencerows, streambanks,

multi-stemmed shrub, height up to 3m

food for wildlife, erosion control, naturalization

Red osier dogwood

 Cornus sericea

fertile, acidic soils, moist to wet sites

variable, most moist to wet sites

multi-stemmed shrub, height up to 3m

food for wildlife, erosion control, naturalization

Highbush cranberrry

 Viburnum trilobum

fertile, moist soils

streambanks, open woods, thickets, around wetlands

multi-stemmed suckering shrub, height up to 4m

food for wildlife, erosion control, naturalization

Common elderberry Sambucus canadensis
sandy to loamy acidic soils

forest edges, roadsides, wetlands, thickets

multi-stemmed shrub, height up to 4m

food and cover for wildlife, naturalization

Serviceberry 

Amelanchier spp

moist to dry sandy, acidic soils

wide variety of sites

multi-stemmed shrub, height up to 3m

food for wildlife, aesthetics

Chokecherry

 Prunus virginiana

grows in well- drained to moist soils

wide variety of sites

multi-stemmed tree that form thickets, height up to 3m

food for wildlife, erosion control, aesthetics

Pussy willow 

Salix discolor

moist sandy, silty, or gravelly soils

along streambanks, wet thickets

multi-stemmed tree, height up to 6m

erosion control, naturalization

Staghorn sumac 

Rhus typhina

can grow in very dry, poor conditions

open fields, ridges, streambanks, forest edges

erect, suckering tree, height up to 3m

for wildlife, erosion control, naturalization, food

Snowberry Symphoricarpos albus

dry sandy, gravelly soils

thickets, well drained slopes and ridges

low, multi-stemmed suckering shrub, height up to 1m

winter food for wildlife, erosion control

How can you get started?

Our full service planting projects are coordinated through the year, with the majority of the preparations being organized in the winter and summer seasons. To get started, we visit your property during a free, no obligation site visit. Together, we develop a customized planting plan that meets your goals.

We typically plant from the last week of April to the middle of May in the spring, and from late October to November in the fall. Our crew arrives with all of your new trees, tools and equipment. The majority of plantings will be completed in a single day. 

What projects are eligible?

What projects are eligible?

Tree planting projects are only eligible on properties of at least 2 acres in size and must be a minimum of 300 plants. There are 4 major categories of tree and shrub planting:

  • Afforestation – planting on large blocks of land, floodplains, marginal or fragile croplands, or groundwater recharge areas
  • Riparian (buffer) – planting along shorelines, watercourses, wetlands, or other water bodies
  • Windbreaks – planting along field edges and roadways to prevent wind erosion, to deflect snow and to redirect wind from livestock pen areas
  • Community Action – tree and shrub planting projects that support the health of Lake Simcoe implemented in partnership with volunteers, schools and community groups

If your project does not meet any of the above criteria, but you are still interested in planting, please visit our Enhancing Wildlife Habitat page. 

In order to ensure sufficient time to process your funding request, spring tree planting submissions must be received by January 15 and fall planting submissions by August 15.​

Project Details

Landowners within the Lake Simcoe watershed may qualify for grants of 50% of project costs to a maximum of $10,000. Additional funds may be available from other environmental grant funding so​urces. Conservation Authority Forest Technicians will ensure that you are made aware of all grant funding programs available to you.

  • All eligible tree planting projects – 50% up to $10,000
  • Community Projects – 100% up to $2,500

Additional funding is available for site preparation. Examples of site preparation include: mowing, brush-hogging, spraying, plough & disking, cultivating, applying a cover crop, staking, etc. Site preparation is highly recommended as it provides the trees the best chance of survival.

Talk to your Forest Technician for advice on which method of site preparation is best for your situation.

What costs are covered?
  • Site assessment and planting design
  • Trees, shrubs and planting costs
  • Establishment of cover crops on tilled land when in conjunction with tree planting
  • Portions of site preparation cost
What isn’t covered?
  • Taxes
  • Commercial stock, fruit trees, or trees established for Christmas tree production
  • Large nursery stock used for landscaping (stock larger than 1 or 2 gallon containers), seedlings and bare root stock are preferred
  • Enhancements for recreational or landscaping purposes
  • Machinery or equipment owned and used by the applicant, family dependents or the applicant’s business
  • Labour of applicant, family dependents or the applicant’s business
  • If you have an outstanding violation with the Conservation Authority you will not be eligible for funding
  • Work that proceeds prior to funding approval does not qualify for funding assistance
Conditions
  • Landowners must plant a minimum of 300 trees or shrubs to participate in the Conservation Authority’s full-service planting program. Orders of less than 300 plants may still qualify for funding through the Conservation Authority’s Enhancing Wildlife Habitat​ grant category
  • Planting projects will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis
  • Minimum property size of 2 acres is required
  • If the Conservation Authority services are not utilized, it is recommended that a private consultant with membership in the Ontario Professional Foresters Association be retained
  • The participant/partner is responsible for the care and maintenance of trees and shrubs after planting. This includes taking reasonable measures to protect the plantation from livestock, fire, insects, mechanical damage, rodents and disease
  • Livestock must be excluded from the planting area
  • Conservation Authority staff may perform periodic inspections of the site, typically 1, 2 and 5 years after planting, with prior notification to the landowner
  • Safe working conditions and access must be provided to the planting crew, including the removal of debris
  • The landowner is responsible for providing access to the planting area. If access is not available from the landowner’s property they are to arrange an access point from an adjoining property
  • The Conservation Authority is not responsible for the failure of a tree or trees to become established. While every effort is made to ensure that the plant material is of the highest quality and the trees are property installed, environmental conditions and/or poor maintenance practices may result in some mortality which is beyond the control of the Conservation Authority
  • The nursery stock is NOT INTENDED FOR LANDSCAPE PURPOSES. Plantings are intended to accomplish several environmental benefits including naturalization, the reduction of erosion from wind and water and the improvement of wildlife habitat
  • The nursery stock is not to be moved on the property or removed from the site and resold, or intentionally damaged by landowner or tenant
How to Apply

Complete the Landowner Information Form and the Project Pr​ofile Form to submit an application.

Be prepared to submit the following with your application:

  • Project site plan
  • Two cost quotations for proposed project

Once this project profile is submitted, you will also have to complete a Terms and Conditions Agreement form. A link to this form will be provided via email.​

Only complete applications will be considered for funding assistance.​

Please contact a Restoration Project Specialist to verify program eligibility and to answer any questions/concerns you may have about the program and/or the application process. This is a voluntary program and all calls are confidential.

partnership icon​   Our Funding Partners

​​LSRCA administers various planting programs through special partnerships.

Undertake a planting project through us and, as part of our assessment, we’ll review your eligibility in as many grant programs as you qualify for, including these listed below. 

The Grow Your Legacy program furthers the Regional Municipality of York’s Greening Strategy. Landowners in northern York Region are eligible for additional funding to increase forest cover.

The Simcoe County Tree Planting Program seeks to increase tree cover in high priority areas such as marginal farmlands and​​ along streams in Simcoe County.  

phone icon   Who to Contact 

Paul Cottenden

Forest Technician 
905-895-1281
1-800-465-0437 Toll free
p.cottenden@LSRCA.on.ca

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