National Tree Day

Today is National Tree Day!

Native trees are a vital component in the majority of our restoration projects. Once established, they can out-compete invasive plants as well as providing the best habitat for our native animal species, especially our species-at-risk! For example, the Lewis's Woodpecker, federally listed as a Threatened species, relies on forests with an open understory to allow them to hunt in their unique fly-catching style. This means that forests made up of our native Ponderosa Pine trees, which naturally shed their lower branches, are this bird's ideal habitat. Riparian forests are another amazing example, with around 80% of our native animal species relying on these areas for their ideal habitat.

Dead trees are also an important part of good habitat. They provide nesting sites for many bird species, who cannot make nests in live trees due to the sap from the tree filling in nesting holes. So always leave dead trees standing on your property if safe to do so.

Trees are able to provide shade, temperature control, cleaner air, erosion control, and more nutrient-rich soils, which make them such a benefit to people as well. With the help of many wonderful volunteers, OSS has planted just under 30,000 indigenous trees, shrubs, and perennial grasses and wildflowers in the Okanagan and Similkameen over the last ten years. We have a lot more plantings coming up in the next month as well!

There are trees being planted all across Canada today, and you can take part in your own backyard. Autumn is the perfect time to plant, so go visit a nearby native plant nursery (such as Xen: https://www.xeriscapenursery.ca/ or Sagebrush: https://sagebrushnursery.com/) and make your yard into better habitat for all the critters with which we share the land!

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