Fall Tree Planting in Mississauga

On Saturday, October 17th, Sikhs Serving Canada (SSC) came together again to contribute to Evergreen’s vision of creating "a sustainable society where individuals live in harmony with and contribute meaningfully to their local environment."

The morning was sunny and surprisingly warm for a fall day, which as it turns out, is a perfect time to plant trees. About 30 SSC volunteers – young and older, new and previous - came together at Erindale Park in Mississauga to plant about 150 trees. The little trees were placed at various spots up an incline towards which the volunteers were led. We were instructed to dig holes in the cool earth, plant the trees, fill the hole back up, packing the unearthed dirt back in, and spread organic mulch around the tree to provide the new tree with warmth and moisture. Worms shifted over, snails hid in their shells, and furry caterpillars found new homes this morning, all working together to make room for their new neighbour.

While it was wonderful to connect with old friends and make new ones, the best part of the day was the silent meditation that it afforded. To get close to the ground, to feel the earth, to kneel down and work our fingers through the dirt, being mindful of and getting a chance to say hello to the living creatures that live there, was all a reminder of the reasons we were out there at all. To be able to volunteer today was to remember the often unseen love and mystery which conspires to make a day beautiful, at all. All the mature trees with their red, yellow and brown leaves falling in the park – they all, started somewhere. They weren’t always majestic, they were little seedlings, once. And now, their role has shifted and they will look over the new little seedlings. They were planted there, once – probably by loving and gentle hands and with the kindness of neighbours who shifted over to make just a little more room.

Remarkably, the “work” was all wrapped up within about 90 minutes, and we were up on top of the hill eating snacks of trail mix and quenching our thirst with water, with volunteers from other groups, before noon.

Sikhs Serving Canada is made up of members of the Sikh community who organize and want to give back. It’s nice to know that today we may have put back just a little bit to the country that has given us so much.

- Jas

Evergreen is a not-for-profit organization that makes cities more livable. By deepening the connection between people and nature, and empowering Canadians to take a hands-on approach to their urban environments, Evergreen is improving the health of our cities - now and for the future.