Trees Winnipeg perplexed by low uptake for subsidized saplings among property owners

It's coming upon planting season in Manitoba, but the normally popular ReLeaf program, which makes locally grown young trees available to private property owners in Winnipeg, isn't seeing a big uptake this year.

Winnipeggers might not be getting the message that hundreds of high-quality, affordable trees are available through the program, said Trees Winnipeg, a non-profit charity dedicated to promoting the benefits and concerns of trees in the city.

Less than half of the nearly 1,300 trees available through the program have been sold through the online store, said Matt Vinet, a board member for Trees Winnipeg.

That's strange, he says, because the program sells out every year long before the deadline to order.Over the last two years during the pandemic, they sold out in record time.

This year, Vinet says they want to let people know there are plenty of tree packages (one or more trees are in a $70 package)left to add to the urban canopy.

"Our trees are locally grown in Manitoba, selected by arborists from Trees Winnipeg,and the price is half the price of a nursery," he said.

"When you pick them up it comes with a bag of mulch, comes with trunk guards and,bonus, comes with instructions on how to properly plant your tree from qualified arborist."

Vinet saystrees help improve physical and mental health, increaseproperty values and lower utility costs,but the canopy is at risk because of disease, old age and damage.

These trees, subsidized by the City of Winnipeg, can help add to the dwindling canopy on private property, as government works on improving the public property canopy.

The trees available in the packages are Pin Cherry, Swedish Aspen, 'Skybound' Cedar, Dwarf Goodland Apple, Paper Birch, Amur Maple, Silver Cloud Silver Maple, Prairie Sky Poplar, Swedish Aspen, Prairie Magic Apple, Bur Oak, Hackberry, Paper Birch and Silky White Willow.

All tree packages areassembled and distributed by volunteers for pick up on June 4.