City’s tree-planting program moving along

Ville de Laval is continuing the tree-plating program it introduced during the 40th Anniversary celebrations of 2005.

A wide-ranging environmental initiative, the program is expected to give a new look to many of the city’s neighbourhoods.

“The protection and enhancement of the environment will continue to be at the heart of our actions,” says mayor Gilles Vaillancourt. “Since its inception two years ago,” the mayor adds, “the project has produced interesting results and we can expect to see radical changes in the physical appearance of areas surrounding Laval autoroutes.”

130,000 trees, plants and shrubs were planted this past spring, with 200,000 more planned for autumn, an investment of $2.7 million.

In addition to giving autoroute interchanges and exchanges a more natural look, the program also provides for 40,000 European Weeping Willows as a natural and ecological sound barrier between Autoroute 15 and l’Ombrette Street north of Dagenais Blvd. Another 380 trees will be planted on the west side embankment of Route 335.

According to the Canadian Tree Foundation, the planting of 250,000 trees will absorb approximately 550 tons of carbon a year, that is 44,000 tons over the next 80 years.