Help Grow Rare Native Trees from Seeds—For the Tree Canopy

We’re preparing for our 2025 seasonal activities for growing rare, native trees from locally collected seeds. We need volunteers who:

(1) Know the location of healthy native trees from which seeds can be collected.

(2) Grow native seeds in pots on your yards or balconies until the seedlings emerge. 

Seedlings will be planted in our communities to support Ottawa’s native tree canopy. We successfully piloted this idea two years ago, producing a few hundred new trees. In our next phase, we’ve prioritized twenty-five rare native species. It’s an exciting but important project.

This native tree project was initiated by the Canadensis Botanical Garden Society and the Ottawa Field Naturalists’ Club. We’ve partnered with the City of Ottawa, Ritchie Feed and Seed, the Ottawa Horticultural Society, and this website (GardeningCalendar) for resources.