From Fields to Forests: How Kawartha Conservation is Greening the Landscape

On a crisp spring morning, rows of saplings stretch across a newly planted field in the Kawartha watershed. They are part of the Kawartha Conservation Tree Planting Program, a long-running initiative designed to restore forests, stabilize waterways, and improve habitat across the region.

“What we’re doing is more than planting trees,” said Danielle Marcoux-Hunter, Coordinator of Stewardship at Kawartha Conservation. “We’re investing in long-term resilience, for the land, for water quality, for wildlife, and for future generations.”

The program is open to landowners with space for at least 500 trees, or about a thousand metres of riparian buffer or windbreak. Projects can include creating new forests, replanting depleted woodlots, planting along streams and rivers, or establishing tree rows to protect soil and crops. Kawartha Conservation covers between 40 and 85 percent of the costs, and provides expertise in planning, species selection, and site preparation.

In return, landowners commit to maintaining the new trees, protecting them from livestock or machinery, and agreeing not to cut or remove them for at least 15 years.

“That commitment is essential,” said Marcoux-Hunter. “It ensures the trees grow to maturity and deliver the environmental benefits the investment is designed to achieve.”

For some, the program means full-service planting, while others prefer to put the trees in the ground themselves with technical guidance. Community planting days also bring people together to take part directly.

“Through those days, we help get trees in people’s hands and into neighborhoods,” Marcoux-Hunter said.

Tens of thousands of trees are planted across the watershed each year, restoring dozens of acres and improving conditions for wildlife, water, and people. But the benefits, Marcoux-Hunter emphasized, extend far beyond the numbers.

“We typically think of forests as big, iconic spaces. But real change is happening one landowner at a time. Those small actions add up.”

In recent years, Kawartha Conservation has also prioritized efforts to restore butternut trees, a native species under serious threat from disease.

“Re-establishing healthy butternut populations is very challenging,” Marcoux-Hunter said. “But it’s vital work, and one that relies on collaboration with landowners willing to be part of the solution.”

With the region experiencing more drought conditions and low water levels in recent summers, the role of forests has become even more urgent. Trees moderate stream flows, shade waterways, and help buffer against the impacts of climate change.

“The biggest barrier is often awareness and capacity,” Marcoux-Hunter explained. “When we can assist with planning, funding, and site preparation, the success rate goes up dramatically.”

For Marcoux-Hunter, the value of the program is clear. “Trees are quiet, patient - they ask for trust,” she said. “But when they take root, they deliver benefits that echo for generations.”

For anyone interested in learning more about the Tree Planting Program, or wondering about a project on their property, contact Danielle Marcoux-Hunter at dmarcouxhunter@kawarthaconservation.com or by phone at 705.328.2271 ext. 242.