City of Lethbridge and corporate partner Heaven Hill Distilleries plant 40 trees in Palliser Park in north Lethbridge, September 9, 2022. (Photo: City of Lethbridge)

By LNN Staff

Helping Lethbridge’s urban forest grow

Sep 9, 2022 | 5:10 PM

LETHBRIDGE, AB – The urban forest in Lethbridge has grown a bit bigger after 40 trees were planted in Palliser Park on Friday, September 9, 2022.

City officials say the urban forest is a vital asset to the City of Lethbridge, and corporate partnerships play a key role in expanding the number of trees in the city.

“It’s a huge day for the city. We’re always trying to expand our tree canopy, and trying to find corporate partners to work with to expand our urban forest.” says Chris Witkowski, Parks Planning Manager for the City of Lethbridge.

The City partnered with Heaven Hill Distilleries to plant the trees in Palliser Park, which is adjacent to the local Black Velvet Distillery near the intersection of 28 Street and 9 Avenue North.

The company donated $6,000 to the City of Lethbridge for the trees, but Witkowski says it’s about more than just money.

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“For me, it’s more about the manpower contribution than the financial contribution, so I want to give a big thanks to them,” says Witkowski.

“They have 44 employees out here today. They’re donating their time, they’re donating business time to make our community better,” he adds. “This isn’t just tree planting for them. They’re out here on a semi-regular basis doing community clean-up and really making this whole space better for the community.”

Dozens of people helped plant trees in Palliser Park in north Lethbridge, September 9, 2022. (Photo: City of Lethbridge)

Building community partnerships and expanding the tree canopy align with strategic goals identified in the City’s recently adopted Urban Forest Management Plan.

It also aligns with the corporate partner’s sustainability strategy, according to Rachel Nally, Director of Environment and Sustainability for Heaven Hill Distilleries.

“Heaven Hill Distilleries has a 2030 environmental sustainability strategy, and as part of that strategy, we’re focused on planting 5,000 trees in our local communities,” says Nally. “We have planted trees in Louisville, Kentucky, which is where our company is based, and now we’re starting to branch out to the other communities where our folks live and work, and so here we are in Lethbridge.”

The partners say urban forest growth has many benefits, such as improving air quality by absorbing carbon dioxide, filtering storm water pollutants, providing shade, plus providing aesthetic benefits for the community.

“Cultivating sustainable and thriving communities is important for our employees, our partners, and our neighbors,” says Claude Bilodeau, Black Velvet Distillery Vice President and General Manager. “The Black Velvet team at Heaven Hill is excited to work with the City of Lethbridge to plant trees in our community that will have a lasting impact for decades to come.”

Witkowski says he hopes other businesses come forward to partner with the City on its urban forest expansion initiatives. “It’s just a great way to build community, build corporate relationships, and not just rely on the city for planting trees, but getting corporate involvement, and really just expanding the environmental benefits of our urban forest.” He adds, “If Black Velvet’s the only one, it’s a great partnership to have, but, yeah, I sure hope this leads to bigger things for us.”

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