RIDEAU AND MISSISSIPPI WATERSHEDS, July 17, 2025 – If extreme weather is taking its toll on your property, it’s time to book a site visit with the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority’s tree planting team.
Extreme heat, torrential rains, high winds and droughts and floods can be hard on your property and the environment around it. But planting trees on your marginal land or unused fields can help significantly reduce the impact and make your property more resilient into the future.
Not only will the growing trees absorb carbon – helping to slow the rate of climate change – they also create windbreaks, reduce soil erosion, improve drainage, provide cooling and shade, and filter contaminants from our water sources.
And planting through the Rideau Valley Conservation Authority (RVCA) is one of the most cost-effective options available, thanks to generous funding partners and grants that keep planting costs low. For Rideau Valley and Mississippi Valley landowners within the City of Ottawa, trees are $0.15 each or $150 per 1,000 trees. For landowners in either watershed outside the City of Ottawa, landowner costs usually range between $300 and $400 for 1,000 trees, with flat rates available for larger projects.
These prices include customized tree planting plans that suit the landowner’s vision and needs, on-site technical advice, ordering and handling of trees, site preparation, tree planting and tending, and survival assessments and refills for five years.
“It’s an incredibly economical way to protect and improve your property while reducing maintenance for idle fields and retired rough pasture,” said Ian Cochrane, RVCA’s forestry manager. “The program keeps your property working without having to do a lot of work yourself.”
Elizabethtown-Kitley farmer Tom Ronan said was spending several weeks each year mowing his fallow fields with a brush hog – costing him time, fuel and equipment maintenance. He planted more than 4,000 trees to give himself a break while also leaving a legacy.
“It’s to put some of the scrub land back into use, to cut down on the work a little bit, but also to help the environment,” Ronan said. “By the time these new trees are mature there’s a good chance I won’t be around, but my kids and grandkids will have a chance to enjoy it.”
RVCA’s forestry staff are now booking site visits for this summer and fall to prepare for tree planting in spring 2026. Eligible Ottawa landowners must have at least 0.25 hectares of suitable land. Landowners outside of Ottawa must have at least 0.5 hectares of suitable land for planting.
To book your site visit, contact Ian Cochrane at
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