The Chippewas of the Thames First Nation is working with the Ridge Landfill to plant trees to replace a woodlot which is planned to be taken out as a result of the landfill’s environmental expansion.
Kelly Riley, the director of treaties, lands and environment for the First Nation, was the featured speaker at the Lower Thames Valley Conservation Authority’s annual general meeting last week.
He said the First Nation, located about 30 kilometres west of St. Thomas, feels there needs to be partnerships among different groups in the watershed and working with the Ridge Landfill is one project his department is looking forward to.
Riley said they are looking at planting about 3,000 trees on their territory as a result of the partnership.
“We have the opportunity to put in close to 20,000 trees. That’s the larger number,” he said. “There’s only six or eight of us who work in the environment or the lands area and then we would have to put work crews together.”
He said putting in 20,000 trees would “be quite an activity” with the resources they have, so 3,000 or 4,000 would be more practical.
Cathy Smith, project manager on the landfill expansion, said the existing woodlot is about 3.7 hectares and there will be a replacement at a two to one ratio.
In addition to the 3,000 trees to be planted on the First Nation’s territory, Waste Connections of Canada – which owns the landfill – will plant 8,000 trees on a property the company owns near the landfill next spring, she said.
“We want to do that because we own the property and that ensures that the trees are maintained and taken care of accordingly,” said Smith.
Riley said planting trees in general is important to the Chippewas of the Thames.
The First Nation received the Stewardship Award from the conservation authority in 2017. That year, it purchased 450 large stock trees and 3,000 tree seedlings to be planted throughout their territory.
“You can talk about saving the world and doing wonderful things and all that, but simply planting a tree, creating a little bush lot, is really our little bit in terms of the fight against global warming,” he said.
Other projects the Chippewas of the Thames’ environment department is working on include baseline testing, such as the number of species located in the top soil of ditches, and removing phosphorous at its source on farmland.
Riley said addressing these environmental issues takes collaboration between many partners throughout the region.
“We’re part and parcel with everyone else in the watershed and we share the same goals and ambitions – it’s a clear environment,” he said. “I’ve often thought that what the long-term goal would be is to be able to swim in the Thames River.”
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