Calgary volunteers plant more than 8,500 trees to help grow our urban forest

More than 1,200 volunteers supported The City’s Urban Forestry team this spring and summer to plant 8,570 trees, helping create a greener, healthier Calgary for generations to come.

From June through September, community associations, local businesses, organizations and individual Calgarians dug in to help grow Calgary’s urban forest through The City’s Volunteer Tree Planting Program.

Together, volunteers took part in 35 planting events at 21 locations across 19 communities, with 28 different volunteer groups contributing to this year’s success.

In total, 8,570 trees were planted, including 1,500 whips (small saplings), which, as they grow, will create a greener city that will benefit Calgarians for decades to come.

“We are incredibly grateful to the volunteers and partner groups who contributed their time and energy to help grow Calgary’s urban forest," said Randi Kelley, Urban Forestry Field Coordinator, City of Calgary, Parks and Open Spaces. "Their enthusiasm and commitment have made a difference in our communities. The trees they planted will provide shade, beauty and environmental benefits for generations of Calgarians to come. We couldn’t do this work without them.”

One of this year’s planting highlights took place at Ted Harrison School in Taradale, where volunteers planted over 2,000 trees over five planting events.

The trees were planted in multiple beds arranged in creative configurations, transforming an area of the school grounds into what students are already calling their very own “maze."

While the trees are still young, students are excited to watch their mini forest grow and change over the coming years.

As the trees mature, they’ll help create a greener, more inviting schoolyard, providing shade, opportunities to connect with nature and lasting benefits for students, families and the surrounding community.

The success of the Volunteer Tree Planting Program is made possible through partnerships with community groups, local businesses and organizations, including Trees for Life, one of The City’s planting partners.

"We at Trees for Life applaud the City of Calgary's efforts to double their urban tree canopy," said Mike Hurley, Development Director, Trees for Life. “We are proud to offer any support we can to help advance the progress toward this ambitious goal and to help engage the local community in the process. Trees are not only vital to the overall health of a vibrant urban community, but they are a phenomenal way to thank and engage local groups and individuals who also contribute to the overall wellbeing of the community.”

These community planting efforts also support The City’s long-term goal of increasing Calgary’s urban tree canopy coverage to 16 per cent by 2060. Calgary’s most recent tree canopy measurement was 9.62 per cent in 2024, and every new tree planted helps move us toward that target as it grows and matures.

Anyone interested in helping grow Calgary’s urban forest can visit calgary.ca/volunteertreeplanting⁠ to learn more about the Volunteer Tree Planting Program and check back in spring 2027 for next season’s planting opportunities. For more information on caring for Calgary’s trees, please visit calgary.ca/trees.