Conversation into Action: How Riverview Residents Planted 55 New Boulevard Trees

Big thanks to Carol Thiessen of Trees Riverview for sharing this local tree story! You can read more about their project in this Sou’wester article.

What began as an over-the-back fence conversation has blossomed into a community-wide effort to protect, restore and enhance the public tree canopy in Riverview.

Last spring, neighbours Wendy Botkin and May Wady were lamenting the loss of the beautiful trees on the boulevards fronting their homes in this south Winnipeg community and set out to see how they could help speed up re-planting. They reached out to other community tree groups, talked about funding opportunities with local city councillor Sherri Rollins, and learned a great deal in the process. The realization that the loss of community trees stretched far beyond their own street led to the birth of a small grassroots organization, named Trees Riverview.

In less than a year, Trees Riverview has grown to a committee of five, with numerous other concerned community members on a mailing list. 

And they have overseen the planting of 55 trees this spring on Baltimore Road and Arnold Avenue in Riverview. The chosen contractor, Green Drop, planted a mixed species of trees, including Linden, Triumph Elm, Hackberry, and Navigator Pear, for better disease and pest resistance. Green Drop will maintain and water the trees for two years.

Their first tree planting project was funded through two grants: 

• $14,441 from the City of Winnipeg’s Land Dedication Reserve Fund (Fort Rouge-East Fort Garry Ward allocation
• $12,500 from Assiniboine Credit Union

With the first trees in the ground, and leafing out into beautiful greenery, the group is now looking to the future with four goals to pursue:

• To directly contribute to tree-planting initiatives on Riverview boulevards and public spaces;
• To take action to reduce premature tree death in boulevards and public spaces in Riverview;  
• To provide accurate information on protecting, restoring and enhancing the neighbourhood tree canopy in Riverview; and
• To advocate for effective policy changes to better protect, restore, and enhance the public tree canopy in Riverview.

To learn more, please contact TreesRiverview@gmail.com.