• We are a charitable foundation called the Maple Leaves Forever Foundation (Registration No. 875341927) that advocates planting of native maples in increasing numbers across the rural landscape of southern Ontario.
• We own a woodlot in the Township of Mulmur in Dufferin County.

• We are committed to providing seedlings and larger maple saplings to planting agencies and landowners on a cost shared basis. We do this by working with seed collectors and private tree nurseries so that a certified supply of native sugar and red maple seedlings are available.
• We are committed to form partnerships with local, regional and national tre planting groups in southern Ontario. Examples of these groups are the Ontario Stewardship Network,municipalities,towns,community associations, Tree Canada and individual landowners.
• We are committed to increasing the levels of maple trees planted. This has meant building relationships with nurseries to increase the supply of seedlings and larger stock each year. It means building relationships with agencies and landowners who can harness communities to plant more trees.
• We promote and foster the Maple Leaves Forever (MLF) maple which is a vigourous seedling or larger tree that comes from a certified local Canadian seed source. It has been grown to high standards. The planting agencies and the public can be assured that a MLF maple is native, healthy and will be suited to the planting site.
• We will endeavour, in consultation with the planting agency involved, to provide cultural advice so that planting survival rates are acceptable and that some degree of success monitoring activities are a part of the local arrangements. 

• Maples are disappearing from the landscape of rural southern Ontario. In the late 19th century, farmers planted hedgerows and roadsides with maples from their woodlots in return for a government incentive. This gave rise to a legacy of lines of maples and other hardwoods bordering roads and dividing farm fields. These trees are now dying and are not being replaced.

• To re-introduce and further restore maples as a visual feature on the rural landscapes by planting on abandoned farm fields, in woodlots, on roadsides and along hedgerows in southern Ontario.

• To promote the awareness and value of tree planting, especially maples, among youth, the general public and landowners.

• We are primarily self-funded. The MLF Foundation however welcomes support and sponsorship from the public, the private sector, other foundations and corporations.

• The Foundation is governed by a Board of Directors.
• MLF’s woodlot in Mulmur is managed by Ken Jewett and Mike Fisher.

MLF Affiliations:

• Member of the Ontario Maple Syrup Producers Association
• Member of the Ontario Forestry Association
• Member of the Ontario Woodlot Association
• Member of the Forest Gene Conservation Association

Mulmur Woodlot:

The woodlot is in Mulmur Township which is northeast of Orangeville in the County of Dufferin. The site has a well established hardwood stand on it with a substantial sugar maple component. It has open fields which will be used for nursery stock out-planting and a year-round stream runs through the property. The out-planting may involve growing native maples from certified seed and the production of very limited amounts of taller saplings and potted stock.
An educational program will be created in the Resource Centre to provide a hands-on demonstration of growing maples and their associated care and tending practices.

^ back to top

• Native Maple Seed Collection
  In the fall of 2006, Sugar Maple Seeds were collected and planted from three Ontario growing zones by Somerville Nurseries in Alliston. These seedlings will be available for planting in 2009.  In addition, sugar and red maples, also from known seed sources, are being grown at Richardson Farms in Pontypool. Some of these seedlings will be available in the spring of 2008. This is a start in the development of a pure Canadian "MLF Maple". We will actively continue to collect certified seed when it is available.
  
  
• Tree Planting initiatives:
  During the fall of 2003, MLF made its first offering of free sugar bare root maple seedlings to the taxpayers of Mulmur Township. We expanded this offering to include Mono Township in 2004, 2005, 2006 and again in 2007. In 2006, we were a major sponsor of the Ontario Envirothon at which 26 Ontario schools participated in an environmental competition at the Science North centre in Sudbury. MLF provided hundreds of bare root maples which the students planted along the cross-Canada walking trail.  
  
  In 2007, MLF started giving older 5 foot maple saplings to schools, conservation groups, for example the Huronia Woodland Association, and to municipalities. On September 26, 2007, we joined Tree Canada in donating and planting 50 large red maples at Wasaga Beach as part of the Canada Green Streets program. This was the second occasion that MLF has been involved in Canada’s Maple Leaf Day celebrations.
  
  We have acquired and will continue to acquire our MLF sugar and red maple seedlings from Somerville Nurseries, Pineneedle Farms, Baker Forestry Services, Winkelmolen Nursery and the Ferguson Forest Centre.
  
  ^ back to top
  
  

What we will do in 2008

In 2008, MLF will be working with Ontario Stewardship co-ordinators in southern Ontario, towns, municipalities, conservation associations and volunteer groups to implement increasing  tree planting numbers by building on-going relationships with them.