
Province planting trees to help create jobs
The Alberta government has announced over $55 million is being invested to plant five million new trees, recover caribou habitat and create jobs.
According to the province, populations in most of Alberta’s 15 caribou ranges are finally stable or growing. However, the government says caribou’s long-term recovery is still threatened by thousands of kilometres of legacy seismic lines left barren since trees were cleared decades ago. Properly re-foresting these areas, say officials, is complex and difficult work requiring special expertise from northern Albertans.
Alberta’s government says it is investing $55.8 million over six years to plant five million trees across northern Alberta by 2030. This funding is expected to help create hundreds of jobs through various tree-planting projects and help Alberta’s woodland caribou increase in numbers.
“These legacy seismic lines are a challenge to threatened wildlife in our forests and have little to no economic benefit to Albertans,’ says Rebecca Schulz, Minister of Environment and Protected Areas. “These investments will help us create habitats over time by replanting trees while creating jobs for hard-working Albertans, benefitting Alberta’s economy and environment.”