Trees Please Winnipeg Coalition represents citizens from Winnipeg neighbourhoods, residents’ associations and various organizations working together to call attention to our urban forest crisis and the need for sustainable investment strategies for urban forests.

If you would like to join Trees Please Winnipeg Coalition, or link to the people from your neighbourhood who are involved, please email treespleasecoalition [at] gmail.com

Participation from citizens from these neighbourhoods and residents’ associations:

• Armstrong’s Point Association Tree Committee
• Balmoral Spence Residents Association
• Fort Richmond Residents
• Friends of Kildonan Park
• Friends of Peanut Park (Crescentwood)
• Glenelm Neighbourhood Association
• Glenwood Neighbourhood Association
• Kingston Crescent Residents
• North Valour Road Residents
• Norwood Flats Resident Association 
• River Park South Community Association
• South St Boniface Residents Association
• South Valour Road Residents
• Southdale and Area Group
• St John’s Residents’ Association
• West End Residents Group
• West End-St. James’ Residents
• West Kildonan
• Wolseley Residents Association

Local participating organizations:

• Bishop Grandin Greenway
• Chalmers Neighbourhood Renewal Corp.
• Coalition to Save The Lemay Forest
• Friends of Fisher Park
• Friends of the Harte Trail 
• Manitoba Eco-Network
• Manitoba Urban Forest Council
• OURS Winnipeg
• Save Our Seine
• Sustainable South Osborne Community Co-op
• Transcona Trails
• Trees Winnipeg
• Wildwood Heritage and Conservation Committee

National Supporters

• David Suzuki Foundation
• Ontario Urban Forest Council
• LEAF Ontario
• Reforest London
• REEP
• Green Ventures
• Oakvillegreen Conservation Association Inc.

Our Roots: How the Trees Please Winnipeg Coalition Began

Spurred on by a drastic loss of boulevard trees in front of their homes, members of the Glenelm Neighbourhood Association and their neighbours got together to learn about tree loss and tree planting.  Their city councillor, Jason Schreyer, supported a tree planting project by advocating for city funds.

“We were so excited to get trees in the ground and replace those lost in our neighbourhood”, says Lisa Forbes, a member of the grassroots Trees Please Winnipeg Coalition. “However the urban forest is our entire city, not just our few blocks, so, with the city budget process coming in winter 2019 we just made some cold calls to neighbourhood associations and said “‘Wanna talk trees?”

It turns out, yes, we sure did!  In short course, a groundswell of 15 grassroots neighbourhood associations, community, and environmental groups lobbied the City of Winnipeg for the 2020 budget.  We were instrumental in increasing the trees budget that year, and then – we were off and running!

Today, our loose collection of residents and groups continue to watch for opportunities to raise the alarm about our urban forest crisis, and look to all levels of government to invest for the long term.