Communion Forest initiative receives $15,000 jumpstart

Climate Justice Niagara (CJN) is poised for planting as part of the global Communion Forest initiative in 2024, after receiving a $7,500 grant from the Anglican Foundation of Canada. The grant is matched by the Diocese of Niagara for a combined $15,000. 

The funding will support the Niagara Communion Forest – Inventory, Planting, and Stewardship project, assisting parishes of the diocese with tree inventories to determine the state of current trees as well as the potential for future planting. 

Green Venture in Hamilton will be an active partner in the training process and will provide guidance throughout the project. CJN will also be working with Neighbourwoods in Toronto, a community-based tree inventory, monitoring, and stewardship planning program.  

Parish volunteers will learn from these experts in the field how to identify, monitor and measure native trees. Together with CJN, they will be guided to plan and participate in mini forest planting or select native shade trees to plant, increasing church property tree cover and urban forest health.  

To ensure long-term sustainability of the trees planted, parish volunteers will also be engaged in learning to care for, maintain and protect trees on church properties and in their neighbourhoods. 

To further support this work, the diocese will be taking on an environmental management student from Niagara College. Raul Guerrero will start his 13-week placement with Deirdre Pike, justice and outreach program consultant in January. One of the first orders of business will be to create and distribute a brief parish survey to help choose the first 10 to 15 parishes interested in participating in this Communion Forest project. The training will be completed in the spring, with planting to take place in the fall.  

For more information, please contact Deirdre Pike at deirdre.pike@niagaraanglican.ca.