Tree planting is a popular way for communities to come together and make the world a greener place, but what if it could also honour local heroes?
Landscape Ontario’s Muskoka North Chapter has done exactly that through the Trees for Life Hero Forest Project at Bala Sports Park in Muskoka, Ont.
Jan Bailey, project development and operations specialist at Trees for Life, explained how Bala Sports Park offered a unique opportunity to honour the collective heroes of the Wahta Mohawks.
“This park provided the ideal canvas to bring a deeply meaningful, narrative-driven design to life,” Bailey said. “The layout beautifully translates the traditional Medicine Wheel into a dynamic living landscape. The space is divided into four distinct quadrants, each representing a cardinal direction and a season.”
The Medicine Wheel symbolizes how one’s physical, emotional, mental and spiritual realities must work in harmony. Each area of the park is dedicated to one of these sections of the wheel. In the centre stands a sugar maple tree meant to represent one’s self. The tree also embodies the spirit of the Wahta Mohawks, whose name translates to “Maple Festival” in Mohawk.
“By planting 18 native trees, this central feature grounds the park’s narrative, celebrating resilience, identity and the deep-rooted cultural connection between the Wahta Mohawks and the land,” Bailey said.
The main planting event took place on April 20, managed by Jennifer Davies, owner of Pratt’s Lawn Care and board member of the Muskoka North Chapter.
To kick-start the day, Women in Landscaping (WIL) hosted a breakfast for volunteers at Pratt’s Garden Centre. Davies explained the high interest in the planting event made it the perfect opportunity to introduce women in the area to WIL.
“Women are the backbone of so many Muskoka North businesses, so it is amazing to see everyone come together for this project, and we hope to see them at many others,” Davies said.
By the end of the day, 18 trees and more than 50 shrubs were planted.
While the event concluded the active planting phase for this site, the work is far from over. Maintenance will be overseen by Davies’ team at Pratt’s Lawn Care to ensure the trees continue to thrive in their new home. A celebration for the completion of this project is also being planned.
For Davies, projects like this are vital for building stronger relationships within the Muskoka North Chapter to bring members closer together.
“People remember working on initiatives like this that make an impact,” Davies said. “It is powerful to be able to visit a place and take pride in the work they contributed.”
