Tree Appreciation Day Coming Up

Dear Kayak Yak:
I feel guilty for my carbon footprint. Kayaking puts me in touch with nature, but it's hard to get my boat to water without using a car. I tried growing a tree to offset my carbon footprint, but the tree isn't getting very big in its pot on my balcony. What can I do?
Tree Wannabe

Dear Tree Wannabe:
There are several alternatives that can help you.
One alternative to using a car is using a set of wheels and taking your kayak for a walk. Works for us at a couple of our usual launch places! Not a bad idea if the walk is through a quiet neighbourhood.
Another alternative is keeping your kayak (or one of your kayaks if you are lucky enough to have more than one) at or near the launch place. Works for me!
Want to plant a tree but don't have any room in your yard for it -- or even a yard? Come on out to Tree Appreciation Day and help Saanich Municipality plant native trees and shrubs in two parks.
One park is Cuthbert Holmes Park, where Colquitz Creek wanders before draining into Portage Inlet. If you look back through the blog, you'll see we have paddled right under the bridge where volunteers will be gathering, and right past one of the two areas to be restored in that park. The other park is Mount Douglas Park, and we've paddled along that park's open shoreline in Cordova Bay a couple of times -- once when Alison and I were on our way to Island View Beach. Both of the parks for planting are accessible by a short walk from a bus, and have ample parking.

Here's the notice that the municipality of Saanich posted on its website at http://www.saanich.ca/parkrec/parks/info/whatsnew.html Take a look:
Tree Appreciation DayThe 17th annual Tree Appreciation Day will be November 7, 2010 from 10:00 am - 1:00 pm.
At Cuthbert Holmes Park (CHP), Saanich is partnering with the Gorge Tillicum Community Association (GTCA) and the Friends of Cuthbert Holmes Park to plant native trees and shrubs. The Friends of CHP along with GTCA in partnership with Saanich Parks have been actively removing invasive species within CHP over the past few years. These native trees and shrubs will help restore areas where the invasive species has been removed. We invite community and school groups to participate in this event. Groups will gather at the staging area as indicated in the attached map. Parking is available in Tillicum Mall by Silver City, at the rear of Pearkes Arena, and in the parking lot off admirals Road. And signs will direct you to the staging area.
Marian McCoy, Natural Areas Technician for Saanich Parks, along with members of the Friends of Cuthbert Holmes Park, invite you to participate in a interpretive walk through the restoration area.
At Mount Douglas Park, Saanich is partnering with the Friends of Mount Douglas Park (FOMD) to plant native trees along sections off the Whittaker, Norn and Irvine trails. Groups will gather in the parking lot at the base of Churchill Drive.
We will also be hosting a native tree and shrub planting event in Mount Douglas Park along the banks of Douglas Creek. Groups for this planting will gather in the main parking lot off Mount Douglas Parkway by the washroom building.
Please contact Saanich Parks if you have any questions regarding Tree Appreciation Events or visit http://www.saanich.ca/resident/parks for updates on Tree Appreciation Day.
Volunteers are asked to dress appropriately for any weather event as Tree Appreciation Day will proceed regardless of the weather.
A limited amount of shovels will be provided, volunteers are asked to bring along their own planting tools if possible.
Refreshments and light snacks will be provided.