Barrie environmental organizations team up to protect trees
Two major environmental organizations in Barrie joined forces to embark on a project that could have long-lasting effects on the community.
GreenWell Plastics has developed a protective octagon-shaped shield made from recycled materials to safeguard the bases of trees.
On Tuesday, Living Green Barrie took a tour of the manufacturing facility that converts plastic landfill into new products and resources.
The environmental organization has been around for over three decades and wanted to respond after seeing dozens of trees dying within the city.
"People tended to mow right up to the tree, get their weed trimmer out there, the tree starts to flounder, and then it dies, said Andee Pelan, Living Green Barrie's executive director. "We really wanted to find a way to get trees planted where the root zones will get protected. So, we can up with this idea of coming up with the 'trees for bees' we're calling it."
Since opening six years ago, GreenWell has diverted more than one million pounds from the landfill.
"We decided to maximize the value of plastics and thought we should start building some furniture. So, we've designed an octagon-shaped protector that will give the trees a better chance to grow up. Ten years from now, left outside, it's going to look exactly the same as the day we manufactured it," said Mark Cordner of GreenWell Plastics.
Living Green says it has plans for when the tree protectors are installed.
"A native tree is going to be planted in the centre of each of these little pods, and then a bunch of pollinator plants that bring in the birds and the bees and all the pollinators that we love," explained Pelan.
The Rotary Club of Barrie Huronia will be funding this pilot project, and the plan is to install the tree protectors at Batteaux Park at the end of April.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Fluid in eye cells can 'boil' if you watch the eclipse without protection: expert
Millions of people in parts of Eastern and Atlantic Canada will be able to see the rare solar eclipse happening on April 8. But they should only look up if they have proper eye protection, experts say.
CRA no longer requiring 'bare trust' reporting in 2023 tax return
The Canada Revenue Agency announced Thursday it will not require 'bare trust' reporting from Canadians that it introduced for the 2024 tax season, just four days before the April 2 deadline.
NEW More unauthorized products for skin, sexual enhancement, recalled: Here are the recalls of this week
Health Canada and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency recalled various items this week, including torches, beef biltong and unauthorized products related to skin care and sexual enhancement.
Where is the worst place for allergy sufferers in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Do these exercises for core strength if you can't stomach doing planks
Planks are one of the most effective exercises for strengthening your midsection, as they target all of your major core muscles: the transverse abdominis, rectus abdominis, external obliques and internal obliques. Yet despite the popularity of various 10-minute plank challenges, planking is actually one of the most dreaded core exercises, according to many fitness experts.
He didn't trust police but sought their help anyway. Two days later, he was dead
Jameek Lowery was among more than 330 Black people who died after police stopped them with tactics that aren’t supposed to be deadly, like physical restraint and use of stun guns, The Associated Press found.
Grandparent scam: London, Ont., senior beats fraudsters not once, but twice
It was a typical Tuesday for Mabel Beharrell, 84, until she got the call that would turn her world upside down. Her teenaged grandson was in trouble and needed her help.
Polar ice is melting and changing Earth's rotation. It's messing with time itself
One day in the next couple of years, everyone in the world will lose a second of their time. Exactly when that will happen is being influenced by humans, according to a new study, as melting polar ice alters the Earth’s rotation and changes time itself.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.