Our Story
Trees Riverview began in 2020, when neighbours Wendy Botkin and May Wady were lamenting the loss of the beautiful trees on the boulevards fronting their homes and set out to see how they could help speed up re-planting throughout the larger Riverview neighbourhood.
The realization that the loss of community trees stretched far beyond their own street led to the birth of this small organization. May and Wendy were soon joined by neighbours Lin Watt, Carol Thiessen, and Pam Lawrence to form a key team of results-oriented women to direct the actions of this non-profit grassroots organization.
In less than a year, Trees Riverview had secured 25k in funding; built networks with city councillors, community contacts, and city professionals; and managed a contract for planting and maintaining 55 trees on public boulevards and green spaces in the Riverview neighbourhood.
Trees Riverview is now recognized within the South Osborne area, and increasingly in the broader Winnipeg community, for its ability to achieve practical results in planting trees, and as a source of accurate information and responsible advocacy for Winnipeg’s trees.
Trees Riverview’s Purpose
Our purpose is to protect, restore, and enhance the public tree canopy in the Riverview neighbourhood of Winnipeg.
We have four main goals:
To directly contribute to tree-planting initiatives on Riverview boulevards and public spaces;
To take action to reduce premature tree death in boulevards and public spaces in Riverview;
To provide accurate information on protecting, restoring and enhancing the neighbourhood tree canopy in Riverview; and
To advocate for effective policy changes to better protect, restore, and enhance the public tree canopy in Riverview.