Trees Ontario: Hunting Heritage Trees In Dundas Valley

July 3, 2009 - With Trees Ontario’s province-wide Heritage Tree Program now in full swing, we are hearing from other local groups about their efforts to celebrate heritage trees in their communities.

One of these is enthusiastically organized by The Dundas Valley Tree Keepers (DVTK), just west of Hamilton, with support from Environment Hamilton. Full event details can be found at www.dundastrees.ca.

The DVTK is a group of community volunteers who are passionate about the trees of the Dundas Valley, an area endowed with a large number and variety of trees in both urban and rural settings. Over the past two years the DVTK has organized several public information sessions on the appreciation and care of trees.

The DVTK’s main project for 2009 is the Heritage Tree Hunt. Oakville, South Simcoe and Centre Wellington have all conducted successful heritage tree hunts and the DVTK is building on the experience of these groups. The aim of the Heritage Tree Hunt is to identify important local trees and to make us all more aware of these community treasures.

The DVTK invite the public to nominate any tree that is treasured for its beauty, place in history, flower, fruit, ecological importance, association with special memories, or because it provides a special spot to relax or play.

Volunteers from the DVTK will examine nominated trees to record information about the tree (species, height, trunk diameter, canopy width, condition). Final judging will be conducted by a panel of experts who will determine the best trees in each category and overall.

The Heritage Tree Hunt covers the town of Dundas, the surrounding valley and adjacent parts of the Niagara Escarpment comprising urban, rural and natural areas. This area includes the Dundas Valley, Spring Creek, Borer’s Falls, Spencer’s Gorge, Crooks Hollow and Christie conservation areas (see map below for boundaries).

Full nomination details and categories can be found at www.dundastrees.ca.

Nomination forms are available at:

The Carnegie Gallery (10 King St. West, Dundas)
The Dundas Museum & Archives (139 Park St. West, Dundas)
The DVTK web site (www.dundastrees.ca)

Submit Nominations via these methods:
Drop off at The Carnegie Gallery or The Dundas Museum & Archives
Mail to Heritage Tree Hunt, P.O. Box 89002, 991 King St. West, Hamilton, ON, L8S 4R5
Fax to 905-628-6101

Entries will be accepted until September 15th, 2009.

There are no limits on the number of trees that an individual may nominate and no cost to enter the contest.

Winning entries will be announced at a public celebration in October 2009.

For more information about the DVTK and the Heritage Tree Hunt, or to volunteer to help identify and examine trees, visit www.dundastrees.ca, or contact coordinator Katie West at 905-628-3707.