Marley Moose is currently in her third summer engaged in the reforestation efforts in northern Manitoba, where she is part of a team dedicated to restoring forests damaged by wildfires. The task has become more demanding following the discontinuation of a federal initiative that aimed to plant two billion trees by the year 2030.
“Everywhere around me is scorched, but it signifies where life once thrived, so we are committed to revitalizing these barren areas,” expressed Moose, 22, as she skillfully planted jack pine and black spruce trees. The location in Manitoba’s Interlake region, about 300 kilometers northwest of Winnipeg, had suffered an infestation by jack pine budworm in 2016 and was in the process of regeneration when wildfires struck the Devils Lake area in 2021.
Moose shared her feelings upon returning to the forest through a tree-planting program facilitated by Nekoté LP, an Indigenous-owned entity representing seven Swampy Cree First Nations in northern and central Manitoba. She emphasized the importance of indigenous nations taking stewardship of their lands for mutual care and benefit.
The Canadian Tree Nursery Association (CTNA) highlighted that Canada is losing trees at a faster rate than they are naturally replenished or replanted by humans. Factors such as deforestation for development and the impact of pests like the mountain pine beetle contribute to this loss. Furthermore, wildfires destroyed close to a tenth of Canada’s forests between 2023 and 2025, necessitating 7.3 billion seedlings to replace a mere 15% of the lost greenery.
The CTNA’s efforts to counteract tree loss included the 2 Billion Trees Program, initiated by former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2019 with a $3.2 billion investment over a decade. However, the program was axed in the fall by the government led by Prime Minister Mark Carney, redirecting funds towards defense and infrastructure projects. This decision jeopardizes tree-planting initiatives like the one led by Nekoté LP.
Amid recurring wildfires and the need for reforestation, stakeholders in the industry are collaborating to find alternative solutions following the program’s cancellation. Farron Sharp, a project manager with Blue-Green Planet Project, underscored the significance of funding to achieve their target of planting 20 million trees by 2030 in partnership with Nekoté LP and Canadian Kraft Paper.
Sharp emphasized that every tree planted contributes to restoring the environment and combating climate change. The survival rate of newly planted trees has been as high as 99%, demonstrating the efficacy of such reforestation efforts. Moose and her team continue their laborious work, aiming to create thriving forests for future generations to enjoy the bounties of nature.