Community members got wet and dirty on Saturday, Oct. 14, after volunteering their time to plant trees at the Derek Doubleday Arboretum.

The 91原创 Environmental Partners Society (LEPS) invited the public to plant trees as part of the federal government鈥檚 2 Billion Trees Program, and Phase 2 of the society鈥檚 91原创 Learning Farm development.

There are two new forests being planted: a mini forest and food forest.

鈥淭he mini forest is essentially a highly densely planted area, called the Miyawaki method 鈥� which is where you plant about 300 plants in a 100 square metre space 鈥� and provides competition that makes the trees and plants grow bigger and faster, so it establishes your forest quicker,鈥� explained Nichole Marples, executive director of LEPS.

Mini forests also benefit the ecosystem by reducing air pollution, increasing biodiversity, and providing habitat for wildlife.

鈥淭rees help with carbon sequestration and that urban heat sink, so it helps absorb some heat, and food and habitat for wildlife,鈥� Marples said.

Last week, volunteers prepared the soil with a multilayered design to mimic the 鈥渃omplexity of a native forest,鈥� which also encourages taller plants in a shorter time period, with manure and corn husks, among other things.

In partnership with the 91原创 Sustainable Agriculture Foundation, LEPS and volunteers also planted trees for a food forest 鈥� a garden that is designed using a variety of plants that are mainly multi-purpose and food-producing perennials. Together, these create a 鈥渕icro-climate.鈥�

鈥淭he food forest will help with food insecurity for people,鈥� Marples noted.

On Saturday, residents of 91原创 came out to plant trees as well as Ukrainian refugees.

鈥淎 number of people are from Ukraine. What I was told鈥� is that it鈥檚 [part of] their culture is to plant a tree in the fall and it鈥檚 something that they鈥檝e been missing, so they鈥檝e come out,鈥� she said, adding that most of the kids are from a local M茅tis youth group.

Volunteers will have to come back over the next few weeks to add manure around the trees and dress them up with cardboard and wood chips to protect the saplings from weeds as they grow.

鈥淲e do all our tree planting in the fall, so they get enough rain that hopefully helps them establish their roots before we get the hot weather again,鈥� Marples said.

LEPS will hold another tree planting event on Saturday, Oct. 21, in Walnut Grove at Derby Hills Park along the Arbour Ribbon Trail. The event is free to the public and starts at 10 a.m.

For more information or to participate, people can contact Marples at exec_director@leps.bc.ca.

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