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Tree-planting at Foster Park in Parksville

Community, city staff work to re-forest drought-impacted area
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From left are Neesha Desai, Daxton Desai, Ranni Desai and Kurt Roberts after planting a pine during a community tree and shrub planting event at Foster Park in Parksville on Saturday, Sept. 23. — Adam Kveton

Dozens of young trees and shrubs were planted in Foster Park by community members, TD Bank employees and Parksville city staff on Saturday, Sept. 23.

The TD Tree Day event, supported by Tree Canada, was held to reforest a portion of Foster Park, located at the corner of Pym Street and Sanderson Road, and to involve the community, said Parksville city’s head arborist, Kevin Campbell.

He explained to participants that many of the cedars in a portion of the park west of the playground had died and become dangerous over the years.

This was because of drought conditions caused by global warming and nearby development, he said.

To keep nearby residents and people walking along the trails safe, many of those trees had to be removed.

The replanting of 10 different trees and shrubs on Sept. 23 was to reforest the area.

“It’s part of education, too,” Campbell said, adding he hopes events like this get people interested in helping to reforest other areas as well.

Similar projects, with help from Tree Canada and TD Bank, have taken place before in Parksville, at places including Marks Nature Park, Springwood Park and elsewhere.