If you’re a Springwater or Oro-Medonte resident who lives in the Severn Sound watershed and you’re still looking for the perfect Christmas present for that homeowner on your list who has everything, consider giving them the gift that keeps on giving — trees.
The Severn Sound Environmental Association’s 2025 tree-seedling distribution program is in full swing right now, affording homeowners across the Severn Sound watershed the opportunity to secure bundles of 10 trees or shrubs for a price well below retail.
Homeowners can select from a variety of native species, including white and red pine, white spruce, balsam fir, tamarack, white oak, red/silver hybrid maple, black walnut, white birch, nannyberry and red osier dogwood shrubs.
The cost ranges from $24 to $28 for each bundle, with a $30 packaging fee added to each order.
According to the Severn Sound’s tree distribution website, you must buy the trees in bundles, but you can give them away in any configuration you like.
“For the tree distribution program, all species are sold in bundles of 10 seedlings,” the site explains. “The seedling program typically sells 8,000 to 10,000 seedlings annually, which makes it too labour intensive to split up bundles into smaller quantities.
“Consider sharing a bundle of seedlings with friends, neighbours, or family.”
Ordering your trees is easy.
To place an order, email the Severn Sound Environmental Association's Travis van Engelen at Tvanengelen@severnsound.ca and include all of the following information (incomplete orders will not be processed):
- Your municipality (Oro-Medonte or Springwater)
- If you are located in Oro-Medonte or Springwater, confirm you are in the Severn Sound watershed portion of the municipality (see map here or provide Seven Sound with the address where the trees will be planted and the nearest road intersection)
- Your first and last name
- Your daytime phone number
- An alternate phone number
- Your email address
- The location where the trees will be planted* (i.e. street address and municipality if possible or lot, concession and township)
- Your mailing address
- The number of bundles of each species you would like to order from this year’s price list
Severn Sound staff will verify that the requested stock is available, confirm your payment amount, and provide payment instructions.
The deadline for ordering trees is Jan. 17. Orders received after this date will not be accepted.
There are no refunds on orders less than $40 and no refunds on orders cancelled after Jan. 17.
“A limited number of trees are available, and we usually sell out of many species,” the website advises.
If you submit an order and do not receive a response or acknowledgement by Jan. 20, assume your order was not received, and contact Travis by telephone at 705-528-2322.
Program participants will be given several date and location options to pick up their trees.
“A receipt with pick-up instructions is sent by email in early April,” the site says. “If you purchase trees and do not receive your receipt by early April, contact Travis.
“Receipts are required as proof of purchase on the pick-up date,” the site also noted.
The trees and shrubs for the program are sold as bare-root plant material, meaning they are sold with the roots exposed and bare of soil — they are not potted.
“The stock is grown in fields, and is harvested in early spring when the plant is dormant,” the website said. “Bare-root stock is perishable and must be handled carefully and planted as soon as possible. Buying bare-root stock is considerably cheaper than purchasing container-grown plants.”
When you pick up your seedlings in the spring, it’s important to handle them gently, and keep them cool and well ventilated at all times. Travel time should be minimized to prevent the seedlings from overheating in your vehicle, so plan to take your seedlings directly home once you pick them up.
If the right tree was selected for the planting site, fertilizer should not be needed to produce healthy trees. Be aware that fertilizer can harm tree seedlings if used improperly:
Never add fertilizer to the hole before planting seedlings – fertilizer can damage the delicate roots.
Too much nitrogen causes above-ground seedling growth at the expense of root development.
To help your seedlings grow, keep the area around the tree free from grass or weeds that will compete for moisture and nutrients, and water the seedlings during dry periods for the first few years.
