Mississauga designated as a part of the Tree Cities of the World

The City of Mississauga has been awarded a tree-mendous achievement.

The City has been designated as a part of the Tree Cities of the World from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations and the Arbor Day Foundation.

Mississauga joins a number of international cities that have taken steps toward investing in maintaining, preserving and creating robust and healthy city forests.

“We are a City that values the environment and the endless benefits trees provide to our community. Through receiving the Tree Cities of the World designation, we’ve joined a global network of cities that are building a more resilient and sustainable city by creating a greener and healthier community that benefits everyone,” Mayor Bonnie Crombie said in a news release.

“It is a major priority that we continue to preserve and invest in the health and well-being of our trees, especially in our diverse forests, woodlots, parks, trails and boulevards. Trees play a critical role in fighting climate change and making Mississauga a livable city by cleaning our air and water, providing shade and beautifying the places we live and work in,” she continued.

Mississauga becomes just the 10th Canadian municipality to achieve the award, which is given to cities that meet five core standards, which included establishing responsibility, setting rules, knowing what you have, allocating resources and celebrating achievements. 

“We currently have more than 2.1 million trees planted in Mississauga and we’re working to plant one million more by 2032 through the One Million Trees program. We’re focused on maintaining and enhancing tree diversity around the city – choosing trees based on species and function while planting them in areas where they will thrive,” Jodi Robillos, Director of Parks, Forestry and Environment for Mississauga, said in the same release.

“With the help of our staff, partners and volunteers, we’ve been able to plant over 380,000 trees since starting the program in 2013. Having more trees in Mississauga will help conserve and enhance our open spaces and forested areas for future generations to enjoy,” she continued.

In 2019, there were 68 cities from around the world that were designated as Tree Cities, including Toronto, Auckland, Paris, and New York.